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MESSIANIC  PROPHECY, 


AND 

THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


B  Y 

WILLIAM  S.  KENNEDY. 


What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?  —  Words  of  Christ. 
It  is  the  Lord.  —  Wot'ds  of  John. 


SECOND  EDITION. 


ANDOVER: 

WARREN  F.  DRAPER. 

BOSTON:  GOULD  AND  LINCOLN.  NEW  YORK:  JOHN  WILEY. 
PHILADELPHIA ;  SMITH,  ENGLISH  &  CO. 

1  8  60. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1860, 

BY  A.  S.  BARNES  &  BURR, 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District 

of  New  York. 


/■I 


V,\  F.  DRAPER, 


ELECTROTYPER  AND  PRINTER, 
ANDOVER,  MASS. 


'  'P  S  9  -c  /V  £ 


Z37..^ 

^  K  B  8  AA 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PART  FIRST. 

Introduction, 

Desirableness  and  Probability  of  a  Divine  Incarnation 

Pagan  idea  of  a  God-man . . . . 

Hebrew  idea . 

Interpretation  of  Prophecy . . 


PAGE 

7 

11 

14 

16 


PERIOD  I. 

Messianic  Predictions  of  the  Pentateuch, 


Genesis  3  :  15  .  25 

‘‘  12  :  3  .  26 

«  22  :  18  .  26 

“  28  :  14  .  27 

“  49  :  10  .  27 

Numbers  24  :  17  .  29 

Deuteronomy  18  :  16  to  18 .  30 


PHRIOD  II. 
Messianic  Psalms. 


2  Samuel  *  16 .  35 

Psalm  16 .  33 


601468 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Psalm  40 .  40 

22 .  41 

“  69 .  45 

‘‘  2 .  47 

110 .  49 

‘‘  45 .  51 

72 .  53 

“  8 .  54 


PERIOD  III. 

First  of  the  Prophetic  Books. 

Joel  2  ;  28  :  32  .  61 

Hosea  2  ;  16  to  25 .  63 

“  3:5  .  63 

“  11  :  1  .  63 

Amos  9  :  8  to  15?. .  65 

Micah  4  :  1  to  4 .  66 

“  5:2  .  68 

Isaiah  2  :  2  to  4 .  71 

“  4:2  . ; .  72 

‘‘  7  :  14 . 73 

‘‘  9  :  1  to  7 .  76 

“  11  :  1  to  10 .  79 

‘‘  32  :  1,  2,  15  to  20 .  82 

“  40  :  1  to  5  .  86 

42  :  1  to  9 .  87 

49  .  89 

50  .  91 

‘‘  52  :  13  to  15 .  92 

53 .  92 

‘‘  55  :  1  to  5 .  103 

59  :  20 .  105 

‘‘  61  :  1  to  4 . 106 

“  63  :  1  to  6 .  107 


CONTENTS. 


PERIOD  IV. 

Chaldean  Period. 

PAGE 

Zephaniah  3  :  9  to  20 .  Ill 

Jeremiah  23  :  1  to  8 .  113 

31  :  31  to  40 .  114 

‘‘  33  ;  14  to  26  .  116 

Ezekiel  11  :  14  to  21 .  118 

17  :  22  to  24 .  119 

34  :  23  to  31 .  119 

«  36  :  23  to  32 .  120 

37  :  21  to  28 .  121 

“  40 .  122 

48 .  122 

Daniel  2  :  31  to  45 .  124 

“  7  :  13,  14 .  126 

“  9  :  24  to  27 .  128 

“  12 .  135 


PERIOD  V. 

Period  of  the  Restoration, 

Haggai  2  :  6  to  9 .  139 

Zechariah  3  :  8  to  10 .  141 

«  4 .  142 

‘‘  6  ;  9  to  15 .  143 

«  8 .  143 

9:9,  10 .  144 

“  11:12,13 .  146 

12  :  6  to  14 . 151 

“  13 . 153 

Malachi  3  :  1  to  3 .  156 

‘‘  4 .  157 


CONTENTS. 


PART  SECOND. 

V 

Introduction, 

PAQB 

Probable  manner  of  the  Incarnation .  163 

Anticipated  Labors  of  the  Christ .  165 

Antecedents .  169 

Probable  time  of  the  Advent .  174 

Presumption  that  Jesus  was  God-man .  176 

Materials  for  a  Life  of  Christ .  178 


PERIOD  1. 

From  the  Annunciation  to  the  Baptism  of  Jesus, 

The  Annunciation  .  184 

Joseph  and  Mary  at  Bethlehem .  185 

Birth  of  Jesus .  186 

Circumcision  and  Ransom  of  Jesus .  188 

Visit  of  the  Eastern  Magi .  190 

Flight  into  Egypt,  and  Slaughter  at  Bethlehem .  193 

Return  from  Egypt;  Childhood  of  Jesus .  195 

Visits  Jerusalem  when  twelve  years  of  age .  197 

Youth  and  Education .  199 

Joseph  and  his  Family .  203 


PERIOD  II. 

Commencement  of  ChrisVs  Public  Ministry, 

John  the  Baptist  and  his  Ministry .  206 

Jesus  leaves  Nazareth .  210 

Comes  to  John  for  Baptism . 212 

Testimony  of  John .  2JL4 

The  Temptation .  215 


CONTENTS. 


PERIOD  V. 

From  the  Third  Passover  to  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  nm 

PAGE 

The  Syrophenician  women . 328 

The  Deaf  Man  of  Decapolis  healed .  329 

Feeding  of  the  four  thousand .  330 

Crossing  the  Lake;  Leaven  of  the  Pharisees .  331 

The  Blind  Man  of  Bethsaida . ♦ .  332 

Peter’s  faith;  the  Keys..., .  333 

Peter  rebuked .  334 

The  Transfiguration .  335 

A  father  with  a  demoniacal  child .  338 

Return  from  Cesarea  Phillippi  to  Galilee .  339 

Tribute-money .  340 

Ambition  of  the  Disciples  reproved .  341 

Law  for  adjusting  difficulties  among  brethren .  343 

Forgiveness .  344 

The  Seventy  sent  out . 344 

Instructions  given  to  Missionaries .  346 

Doom  of  the  Lake  Cities- .  347 

Final  departure  from  Galilee . 348 

Samaritan  Inhospitality ;  the  Ten  Lepers .  349 


PERIOD  VI. 

From  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  to  the  Triumphal  Entry, 

Jesus  preaches  in  the  temple .  351 

Attempt  to  arrest  Jesus .  353 

Rage  of  the  Pharisees .  354 

The  adul tress  brought  to  Christ .  355 

Proof  of  his  Divinity .  356 

Freedom  through  Him .  358 

Christ  before  Abraham .  359 

The  man  who  fell  among  thieves .  360 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Martha  and  Mary  ;  the  better  part .  361 

On  Prayer ;  the  Lord’s  Prayer .  362 

Return  of  the  Seventy .  .  365 

The  man  born  blind :  Christ  the  Light .  367 

Christ  a  door  and  a  Shepherd . .  369 

Jesus  in  Solomon’s  porch .  370 

Jesus  in  Perea  ;  death  of  Lazarus .  372 

Return  to  Bethany  ;  Lazarus  raised .  374 

The  Sanhedrim  determine  to  kill  Christ .  376 

Christ  at  Ephraim;  the  crooked  woman  healed .  378 

Journey  towards  Jerusalem .  379 

Dines  with  a  Pharisee;  cures  an  invalid;  humility;  guests...  380 

The  cross  to  be  borne .  382 

Parables, — the  Lost  Sheep ;  the  Lost  Silverling ;  the  Prodigal  383 

The  unjust  Steward .  383 

The  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus .  884 

Prayer, — the  Pharisee  and  the  Publican ;  the  unjust  Judge...  385 

Marriage  ;  Divorce ;  Celibacy .  386 

Christ  blesses  little  children .  387 

What  shall  I  do  ? .  388 

The  Laborers  in  the  Vineyard . ' .  390 

Salome’s  request  for  her  sons .  391 

Blind  Bartimeus .  392 

Zaccheus .  393 

Parable  of  the  Pounds .  394 

Jesus  goes  from  Jericho  to  Bethany . 395 


PERIOD  VII. 

From  the  Triumphal  Entry  to  the  Crucifixion. 

Triumphal  entry  into  Jerusalem .  398 

The  barren  fig-tree . 401 

The  fig-tree  withered .  403 

Deputation  of  Pharisees .  401 

The  disobedient  son  ;  the  wicked  husbandmen .  405 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Clu'ist’s  first  Disciples .  222 

lleturn  to  Galilee . /. .  224 

The  Marriage  at  Cana .  226 

Christ’s  first  Miracle .  227 


PERIOD  III. 

From  the  First  to  the  Second  Passover. 

Jesus  purifies  the  Temple .  232 

Nicodemus .  233 

Eirst  Labors  in  Judea .  236 

Journey  through  Samaria ;  Sychar .  238 

Return  to  Galilee  ;  Itinerant  Labors .  242 

The  Nobleman’s  Son  healed .  243 

Visits  Nazareth .  244 

Miraculous  Draught  of  Fishes .  216 

The  Demoniac  in  the  Synagogue .  248 

Peter’s  Mother-in-law,  and  others,  healed .  249 

Jesus  leaves  Capernaum., .  251 

Followed  by  Multitudes ;  Cures  a  Leper .  252 

Heals  the  Man  let  down  through  the  roof .  254 

Matthew  called .  255 


PERIOD  IV. 

From  the  Second  Passover  to  the  Third. 

The  Invalid  at  Bethesda ;  the  Sabbath .  257 

Plucking  the  Wheat-ears  on  the  Sabbath .  260 

The  Withered  Hand  restored .  261 

Preaching  by  the  Sea-side .  262 

Choosing  of  the  Twelve .  264 

Sermon  on  the  Mount .  267 

The  Centurion’s  Servant  healed .  271 

The  Widow’s  Son  restored  to  life .  272 


CONTENTS. 


PACK 

Message  of  John  the  Baptist  from  prison .  273 

Christ’s  estimate  6f  John .  275 

Jesus  dines  with  a  Pharisee .  278 

A  Penitent  Woman  anoints  his  feet .  279 

Christ’s  followers  contribute  “of  their  substance” .  280 

The  Dumb  and  Blind  Demoniac  healed .  281 

Beelzebub  ;  Blasphemy  of  the  Pharisees .  282 

A  Sign  demanded .  283 

Effort  of  his  Brethren  to  confine  Jesus .  285 

Hypocritical  Pharisees  denounced .  286 

Disciples  warned  against  the  Pharisees .  289 

Parable  of  the  Rich  Man .  292 

Use  of  Parables .  293 

The  Sower  and  the  Seed .  295 

Wheat  and  Tares  ;  Net  and  Fishes .  297 

The  Mustard  Seed ;  the  Leaven ;  the  Treasure  and  the  Pearl  298 

Jesus  poorer  than  the  Birds  and  Foxes .  299 

Looking  back . . .  800 

Crossing  the  Lake ;  the  Storm .  301 

The  Gadarene  Demoniac .  302 

Levi’s  Feast ;  Fasting ;  the  New  Patch,  &c .  805 

The  woman  healed  of  her  issue  ;  Jairus’  daughter  raised .  307 

Two  Blind  Men  cured . 309 

Second  (?)  visit  to  Nazareth .  310 

The  Twelve  sent  out  to  preach .  311 

John  the  Baptist  beheaded .  313 

Herod  fears  Jesus .  314 

Return  of  the  Twelve .  315 

Seeking  rest;  feeding  the  five  thousand,  &c .  316 

The  storm ;  walking  the  water,  &c .  320 

Christ  sifts  his  followers .  321 

Of  defilements,  traditions,  &c .  325 


PREFACE. 


The  design  of  this  work  is  to  present,  in  popular 
form,  the  Messianic  Prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament 
in  their  chronological  order,  and  the  Life  of  Jesus 
Christ,  arranged  according  to  the  best  harmony  of 
the  Gospels. 

Every  man’s  religion  is  determined  by  his  view  of 
Christ.  And  his  view  of  Christ  must  be  determined 
mainly  by  the  study  of  the  Gospel  narrative,  in  con¬ 
nection  with  those  prophecies  which  constitute  the 
true  introduction  to  the  New  Testament.  To  facili¬ 
tate  this  study  of  the  historical  origin  of  Christianity, 
and  if  possible  to  bring  the  living  Christ,  and  the 
aim  of  his  incarnation,  more  vividly  before  his  read¬ 
ers,  is  the  earnest  hope  of  the  author. 

Large  acknowledgments  are  due  to  the  Christology 
of  Ilengstenberg  and  Neander’s  Life  of  Christ.  Dr. 
Robinson’s  Harmony  has  also  been  an  important  as¬ 
sistant  in  the  preparation  of  this  work. 


TV 


PREFACE. 


The  large  and  learned  works  above  named,  not 
being  available  for  most  readers,  it  is  believed  that  a 

t 

work  on  the  plan  here  adopted  is  a  desideratum  in 
our  literature.  If  this  little  book  may  supply  the  de¬ 
ficit  until  a  better  appears,  the  aim  of  the  writer  will 
be  accomplished. 


1  *  Jl  Di  *  _  * 


V  h  fi  *  .  .  ,  ,  IS 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Marriage  of  the  king’s  son .  .  406 

Tribute  to  Caesar .  407 

The  Resurrection  ;  Sadducees .  409 

The  Greatest  Commandment;  What  think  ye  of  Christ? .  410 

Hypocrisy  of  the  Pharisees  denounced .  411 

The  Widow’s  Mite  ;  Magnificence  of  the  Temple .  413 

Believing  Rulers  ;  enquiring  Gentiles .  414 

The  Voice  from  Heaven .  416 

The  Second  Advent ;  Signs .  417 

Destruction  of  Jerusalem  foretold .  418 

Suddenness  of  Christ’s  Second  Coming  ;  Warnings .  420 

The  Last  Judgment .  422 

Judas  and  the  Sanhedrim,  Simon’s  Supper .  424 

The  Paschal  Supper .  425 

Washing  the  Disciple’s  feet .  428 

The  Traitor  discovered . . .  429 

Peter’s  confidence  rebuked .  431 

The  Lord’s  Supper  instituted .  432 

Discourse  after  Supper .  433 

Christ  a  Vine .  434 

The  Comforter  promised .  435 

Concluding  Prayer .  437 

Gethsemane .  438 

Judas  and  his  confederates .  440 

The  Arrest .  441 

Preliminary  Examination .  443 

The  Sanhedrim  convened .  445 

The  Trial  and  Condemnation  ;  Jesus  before  Pilate .  446 

Jesus  sent  to  Herod .  449 

Pilate’s  Superstition  and  Reluctance .  450 

Jesus  Scourged  and  Crowned .  451 

Remorse  and  death  of  Judas .  452 

Bearing  the  Cross  to  Calvary .  454 

Crucifixion .  456 

Burial .  459 


CONTENTS. 


PERIOD  VIII. 

From  the  Resurrection  to  the  Ascension. 

PAGE 

The  Resurrection .  461 

The  Angels  and  the  Earthquake .  464 

The  Women  at  the  Tomb . . .  465 

Peter  and  John  at  the  Sepulchre .  466 

Mary  ;  the  Angels  ;  Jesus .  467 

The  Sanhedrim  ;  Peter  ;  Christ  at  Emmaus .  469 

Christ  appears  to  the  ten  Disciples .  471 

Thomas .  472 

Christ  in  Galilee  ;  the  Draught  of  Fishes .  473 

Meets  the  five  hundred  believers  in  Galilee .  475 

Last  interview  with  the  Disciples  ;  Ascension .  476 


FIRST  PART. 


MESSIANIC  PROPHECY, 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  highest  and  the  lowest  of  our  race  are  alike 
interested  in  supernatural  truth.  The  ignorant  ea¬ 
gerly  devour  the  marvellous  legends  of  superstition. 
The  learned  by  their  researches  into  Nature  ever  seek 
for  the  hidden  and  supernatural.  Nature’s  highest 
charm  is  her  ^^foot-prints  of  the  Creator.”  World 
and  stars  were  a  mockery  if  they  revealed  no  God. 
Knowledge  of  God  is  the  highest  and  most  desirable 
attainment. 

Complete  knowledge  of  God  we  can  never  attain. 
For  ever  revealing  yet  for  ever  concealing  himself, 
God  will  be  our  endless  study.  Man  may  compre¬ 
hend  the  world,  being  himself  a  microcosm,  but  he 
can  never  comprehend  Deity.  His  knowledge  of 
God  must  ever  be  anthropomorphous.  We  can  only 
know  what  of  Him  is  analogous  to  something  in  our¬ 
selves.  The  idea  of  God  which  men  cherish  corres¬ 
ponds  to  their  own  characters.  The  pagan’s  God  is 
but  a  greater  pagan.  And  were  an  ideal  of  God  to 
be  communicated  from  above,  it  must  come  in  human 


Till 


INTRODUCTION. 


language,  and  be  subject  to  human  limitations. 
Hence  the  highest  possible  revelation  of  God  to  man 
would  be  that  of  a  divine  man,  God-man,  God  incar¬ 
nated  and  working  under  human  conditions.  This 
would  be  the  highest  and  the  most  impressive  manifes¬ 
tation  of  Deity.  A  life  is  always  more  effective  than 
a  discourse.  The  Word  ”  is  to  us  most  potent  when 
it  becomes  flesh.” 

Next  to  an  incarnate  manifestation  of  God,  the 
highest  attainment  would  be  the  portrait  or  ideal  of 
such  a  life.  To  give  such  a  portrait,  so  far  as  may  be 
possible,  is  the  aim  of  Messianic  Prophecy.  To  real¬ 
ize  that  ideal  in  an  actual  life  is  the  mission  of 
Christ. 

All  mankind  have  therefore  a  deep  interest  in 
this  revelation,  regarding  it  only  in  its  intellectual 
aspect.  But  the  moral  interest  is  far  greater  than 
the  intellectual.  Instruction  is  needed,  but  regene¬ 
ration  is  more  needful  for  us.  The  conviction  is  nigh 
universal  that  only  a  divine  mediator  can  atone  for 
human  guilt  and  restore  man  to  favor  and  commu¬ 
nion  with  God.  Human  nature  groans  under  a  sink¬ 
ing  load,  and  cries  for  deliverance.  The  race  has 
longed  and  searched  for  Emmanuel,  and  failing  on 
account  of  its  blindness,  has  often  attempted  to  make 
him.  What  else  can  be  said  of  Jupiter,  Prometheus, 
Vishnu,  or  Odin,  than  that  they  are  the  abortive  ef¬ 
forts  of  the  human  soul  to  produce  by  apotheosis  a 
God-man  ?  These  monstrous  man-Gods  show  the 


DESIRABLENESS  OF  A  GOD-MAN. 


IX 


universal  consciousness  of  such  a  want.  They  show 
also  the  universal  conviction  that  somewhere  and  at 
some  time  God  would  thus  reveal  himself. 

Is  then  the  incarnation  of  Deity  possible  ?  All 
things  not  contradictory  to  the  divine  nature  are 
possible.  God  manifests  himself  in  nature.  The 
sceptic  himself  finds  God  in  trees  and  flowers,  brooks 
and  pebbles.  He  finds  him  also  in  his  own  breast. 
He  hears  God  rehearsing  his  holy  laws  to  his  awak¬ 
ened  conscience.  And  if  God  thus  pours  himself 
through  all  his  works,  why  may  he  not  peculiarly  ap¬ 
propriate  to  himself  one  human  form  and  make  it 
the  organ  of  his  communion  with  the  race  ?  It  is 
not  impossible  that  God  may  assume*  every  form  in 
which  rational  creatures  exist  in  order  to  reveal  him¬ 
self  more  perfectly  to  them. 

The  possibility  of  an  incarnation  being  admitted, 
what  is  the  probability  ?  Would  God  make  the  most 
perfect  possible  revelation  of  himself  to  man  ?  Not, 
surely,  for  any  trivial  reason.  God  would  not  insti¬ 
tute  a  vain  masquerade.  He  would  not  become  flesh 
for  any  merely  aesthetic  or  intellectual  purpose ;  nor 
for  any  social  or  civil  object.  Yet  God  certainly  de¬ 
sires  to  be  known  by  his  creatures.  He  would  have 
them  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  himself.  They 
glorify  him  and  fulfil  the  ends  of  creation  only  in 
proportion  as  they  know  God.  And  if  this  manifes¬ 
tation  be  needful  to  fit  them  for  the  great  ends  of 


X 


INTRODUCTION. 


existence,  it  is  probable  that  God  would  become  iu- 
carnated.  For  a  suflScient  moral  reason  he  would 
thus  appear. 

If  the  race  have  deformed  his  image  and  lost  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  an  incarnation  is  needed  for 
their  salvation,  the  probability  would  in  that  case  de¬ 
pend  upon  God’s  estimation  of  mankind.  If  he  re¬ 
garded  their  salvation  as  important,  we  might  hope 
that  he  would  appear  to  save.  The  universal  human 
consciousness,  and  all  history,  testify  that  man  needs 
such  a  salvation.  Inspiration  alone  can  tell  whether 
God  will  thus  save.  If  God  be  a  God  of  mercy  we 
may  at  least  cling  to  any  intimations  of  a  divine 
manifestation  in  our  behalf.  To  try  to  disbelieve  such 
intimation,  to  seek  to  tear  away  the  last  plank  of 
hope  from  a  sinking  world,  is  madness  and  malignity. 
Unbelief  can  give  no  substitute  for  Christ.  The 
world’s  destiny  hangs  upon  Emmanuel.  If  there  is 
no  revelation  of  a  God-man  the  race  is  hopeless.  On 
the  side  of  scepticism  broods  ancient  Night  with  her 
spectres.  On  the  side  of  faith  streams  up  the  aurora 
of  hope.  If  there  is  no  Messianic  Prophecy  and  no 
Christ,  paganism  may  as  well  crowd  again  its  pan¬ 
theons.  Beaten  by  everlasting  storms,  our  race  must 
sink  eternally  in  the  deep  of  ruin,  without  a  Christ. 

Who  can  turn  to  the  night-hag  of  unbelief  and 
despair,  and  rest  in  the  conviction  that  our  Father 
has  cast  us  off?  Let  us  not  go  to  this  study  with  a 
heartless  criticism,  but  lovino;lY  embrace  and  cherish 
whatever  of  promise  we  may  find. 


PROBABLE  CONCOMITANTS.  xi 

When  or  where  the  divine  idea  of  Messiah  would 
be  introduced,  or  the  divine  man  make  his  appear¬ 
ance,  only  God  could  reveal.  But  intimations  of 
some  kind,  at  some  time  and  place,  that  such  an 
event  as  the  incarnation  would  take  place,  we  should 
certainly  expect.  The  shadow  would  reach  us  before 
the  substance.  An  ideal  by  which  the  Divine  One 
might  be  recognised  at  his  advent  would  doubtless 
break  in  prophetic  radiance  from  some  cloud.  And 
when  the  Holy  One  appears  he  will  give  indications 
of  his  origin,  and  leave  foot-prints  by  which  after¬ 
ages  could  trace  his  course. 

Man  could  not  predetermine  the  hind  of  life  Em¬ 
manuel  would  lead.  His  psychology,  his  practical 
philosophy,  and  his  course  of  action  might  be  unfath¬ 
omable  by  human  measures.  Some  characteristics, 
however,  might  be  certainly  anticipated.  We  should  ex¬ 
pect  his  humanity  to  be  of  the  highest  type.  We  should 
also  look  for  unmistakable  exhibitions  of  divine  power, 
wisdom  and  goodness.  But  how  those  attributes  would 
be  exhibited,  in  what  peculiar  ways  the  concrete  life 
would  express  and  occupy  itself,  we  could  only  learn 
from  inspiration,  or  from  the  actual  manifestation. 
We  may  not  dictate  the  mode  of  the  advent  or  of 
Messiah’s  life  and  labors.  Let  us  take  the  revelation 
gratefully  as  it  comes.  Enough  for  us  if  we  get  a 
divine  revelation  and  a  Redeemer  in  any  form. 

Some  idea  of  an  incarnation,  as  remarked  above, 

£ 

has  appeared  wherever  there  has  been  human  culture. 


XU 


INTRODUCTION. 


We  should  have  no  hope  now  of  finding  Emmanuel 
or  his  prophetic  portrait  on  pagan  soil.  The  harvest 
of  heathenism  was  long  since  reaped.  Since  the 
days  of  one  Saul  of  Tarsus,”  paganism  has  been 
decadent.  But  it  is  interesting  to  know  that  pagan¬ 
ism,  in  its  various  forms,  was  blindly  feeling  after  a 
God-man. 

Crveece  built  up  a  gorgeous  mytholog.  Her  Pro¬ 
metheus  has  been  likened  to  the  idea  of  Christ.  He 
was,  in  a  sense,  represented  as  mediator  between  man 
and  the  Thunderer.  But  he  stood  in  sharp  antag¬ 
onism  with  Jove,  and  but  partially  in  sympathy  with 
man.  He  was  neither  God  nor  man  ;  much  less  both. 
He  brought  fire  or  light  into  the  world ;  but  it  was 
the  fire  that  burns  in  the  bones,  the  herald  of  care 
and  misery;  not  that  ‘‘true  light”  that  came  by  the 
Word. 

Prometheus  was  the  ‘‘inventive  genius”  of  man, 
not  the  wisdom  of  God.  Far  from  delivering  a  con¬ 
demned  race,  he  could  not  deliver  himself  from  the 
wrath  of  Jove.  He  suflFered  by  compulsion  as  a  stoic. 
“Father,  thy  will  be  done,”  never  broke  in  submis¬ 
sion  from  his  lips.  He  made  no  atonement. 

The  Indian  theosophy^  probably  retaining  a  trace 
of  patriarchal  prophecy,  came  nearer  to  the  idea  of  a 
Christ.  Vishnu  enters  historically  into  the  human 
race  to  give  mankind  the  model  of  a  better  life.  But 
he  does  not  present  the  divine  and  human  natures  in 


PAGAN  IDEA  OF  GOD-MAN. 


Xlll 


harmonious  union.  The  two  ever  struggle  in  discor¬ 
dant  antagonism,  till  one  absorbs  the  other.  Accord¬ 
ing  as  the  divine  or  the  human  elements  preponderate, 
this  religion  vacillates  between  ideal  pantheism  and 
gross  materialism.  Buddhism,  its  present  predomi¬ 
nant  form,  is  a  base  materialism,  according  to  which 
the  Grand  Lama  is  virtual  God,  and  the  Chinese  em¬ 
pire  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Persian  theosophy^  growing  out  of  a  stock  kin¬ 
dred  to  the  Hebrew,  made  a  still  nearer  approxima¬ 
tion  to  the  prophetic  idea  of  Messiah.  Ormuzd 
appears  at  times  as  an  almighty  creator,  sustaining  a 
mysterious  relation  to  the  eternal  God.  Generally, 
however,  he  is  represented  as  a  creature,  Jehovah’s 
prince  of  angels,  yet  equal  in  majesty  to  God.  In 
some  sense  he  acts  the  part  of  mediator.  Between 
him  and  the  infernal  Ahriman  goes  on  a  great -con¬ 
test,  the  present  course  of  the  world  exhibiting  their 
alternate  successes  and  discomfitures.  It  was  pre¬ 
dicted  that  in  the  last  times  Ormuzd  would  triumph 
and  adorn  the  world  with  righteousness ;  that  the 
earth  and  elements  would  then  be  tempered  as  a  para¬ 
dise  ;  the  influence  of  evil  dews  or  demons  would 
then  be  restrained ;  and  the  human  race,  speaking 
one  language,  would,  on  terms  of  social  and  political 
equality,  peacefully  pursue  one  common  mode  of  life. 
The  resurrection  of  the  dead  and  the  last  judgment 
were  also  foretold. 

2 


xlv 


INTRODUCTION. 


No  one  can  doubt,  however,  that  unmistakable 
scraps  of  tradition,  derived  from  Hebrew  prophecy, 
glitter  among  the  dreams  and  fictions  of  Persian 
theosophy. 

These  efforts  of  paganism  show  the  longing  of 
the  human  soul  to  get  back  into  fellowship  with  its 
God ;  and  the  universal  belief  in  a  divine  incarnation. 
By  contrast,  they  show  the  superiority  and  inspira¬ 
tion  of  Hebrew  prophecy.  At  best  they  are  empty 
and  imperfect  ideals.  They  satisfy  neither  the  intel¬ 
lectual  nor  the  moral  demand.  They  do  not  present 
the  model-man,  nor  the  righteous  God  of  love.  They 
do  not  point  us  to  the  ‘‘Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world.’' 

Greece,  Persia,  and  India  afford  no  consistent 
ideal  of  Emmanuel,  and  no  incarnate  life  of  God. 
It  were  idle  to  search  through  ruder  paganisms. 

We  turn  to  the  Hebrew  hook  to  search  for  a  rev¬ 
elation  of  the  God-man.  Many  object  to  the  Hebrews 
as  a  dull,  heavy  people,  unfit  to  be  the  medium  of 
such  revelations.  But  we  are  not  concerned  with  the 
people  as  a  mass,  any  more  than  we  were  Avith  Greek 
or  Indian  masses.  We  seek  for  the  highest  achieve¬ 
ments  of  the  first  minds ;  and  not  so  much  for  that 
which  human  culture  produced  as  for  the  gift  of  di¬ 
vine  condescension.  And  why  would  not  God  rather 
pour  his  golden  treasure  into  the  ruder  vessel,  in  or¬ 
der  that  the  glory  might  be  seen  to  be  of  him  ?  The 


HEBREW  IDEAL. 


XY 


people  that  have  no  Pantheon  will  be  fitter  recipients 
of  revelation.  Art  and  arms  would  furnish  no  at¬ 
traction  for  Messiah.  He  would  not  seek  the  false 
splendor  and  baby-pageantry  of  earthly  courts.  Th^ 
people  who  possess  the  best  morality  and  religion 
should  command  our  first  attention  in  searching  for 
divine  revelations.  And  doubtless  the  moral  senti¬ 
ment  of  antiquity  culminated  in  Palestine.  Here  the 
soul  of  humanity  blossomed  out,  as  did  the  intellect 
in  Greece.  Palestine,  otherwise  barren,  was  on  that 
account  more  fruitful  in  spiritual  productions.  Trees 
of  heaven  grow  best  where  there  are  fewest  of  earth’s^ 
The  boasted  human  culture  and  vaunted  mysteries  of 
Greece  and  India  were  against  them,  so  far  as  the 
reception  of  divine  communications  was  concerned. 
No  one  can  now  say  much  in  behalf  of  their  morality 
or  religion. 

But  in  these  particulars  the  Hebrews  w^ere  gene¬ 
rally  far  in  advance  of  the  age ;  and  through  all 
their  history,  like  a  golden  warp,  runs  the  idea  of 
Messiah.  Indeed  this  history  can  only  be  studied 
aright  when  it  is  regarded  as  a  development  specially 
conducted  by  Providence  for  the  introduction  of 
Emmanuel. 

Not  that  the  mass  of  the  people  distinctly  con¬ 
ceived  and  embraced  the  doctrine  of  the  God-man. 
No  nation  truly  understands  its  own  relations  to  the 
plans  of  God,  and  the  general  history  of  the  world. 
If  the  ideal  of  Christ  is  to  come  through  the  He- 


XVI 


INTRODUCTION. 

brews  we  should  expect  them  to  be  in  part  the  uncon¬ 
scious  instruments  in  the  divine  hand.  What  knows 
the  vessel  of  its  passengers  ?  or  the  telegraphic  wdre 
^f  the  message  that  shoots  along  it  ? 

The  Hebrews  would  probably  catch  something  of 
the  divine  idea  as  it  worked  through  them.  Some 
few  might  attain  to  bright  visions  of  the  coming  glory  ; 
but  the  full,  broad  conception  of  a  God  incarnate 
they  could  not  generally  reach.  Nations  and  ages 
and  eternity  alone  could  compute  the  treasure  poured 
-into  that  earthen  vessel. 

The  historical  verity  of  the  Hebrew  books  must 
be  here  assumed.  Their  claim  to  inspiration  has 
been  substantiated  to  the  satisfaction  of  most  of  those 
who  have  faithfully  studied  them.  No  other  satisfac¬ 
tory  account  has  ever  been  given  of  them.  This  at 
least  may  be  said,  that  if  they  are  not  reliable  history 
there  is  no  reliable  ancient  history  now  extant. 
And  historical  credibility  is  all  that  need  be  asked 
for  the  present.  If  we  find  a  consistent  Christ  de¬ 
lineated  in  them,  they  will  need  no  other  proof  of 
inspiration. 

The  interpretation  of  prophecy  is  difficult,  par¬ 
ticularly  when  it  treats  of  a  character  and  a  transac¬ 
tion  so  original  and  sui  generis  as  Christ  and  the 
incarnation.  The  labor  is  increased  by  the  manner 
in  which  Messianic  Prophecy  is  blended  with  other 


INTERPRETATION  OF  PROPHECY. 


XVI I 


matter.  Pure  gold  is  not  found  in  large  masses. 
The  value  of  the  mass  lies  mostly  in  the  small  parti¬ 
cles  of  the  true  metal  scattered  through  it.  Messianic 
Prophecy  was  the  highest  achievement  of  the  He¬ 
brews.  Their  entire  history  was  a  preparative  for 
Messiah’s  advent.  His  appearance  was  the  culmina¬ 
tion  of  the  Theocracy.  But  the  processes  of  growth 
are  obscure.  It  is  easy  to  analyze  a  flower ;  not  easy 
to  follow  the  life-principle  that  Avorks  darkly  in  root 
and  stem  and  leaf,  until  at  last  it  sends  out  the  flower. 
We  may  call  the  Hebrew  nation  a  millennial  plant, 
that  was  watered,  sunned  and  guarded  through  centu¬ 
ries,  till  at  last  it  shot  up  a  lordly  stem,  budded  and 
blossomed  in  glory.  Christ  incarnate  was  the  blos¬ 
som  ;  Christ  in  history  is  the  fruit.  Having  answered 
its  end  the  old  plant  died.  Its  embalmed  relics  we 
call  prophecy,  and  in  them  we  trace  the  channel 
through  which  that  mysterious  life  worked  its  way  ’ 
into  human  history.  The  summer-growths  of  the 
idea  of  Christ  are  plainly  marked.  The  wdnter  peri¬ 
ods  in  which  it  rested  and  recruited  have  left  but 
faint  mementoes.  Changing  the  figure  again,  we 
may  say  that  Hebrew  Scripture  is  a  geological  forma¬ 
tion  containing  organic  remains  of  Messianic  Pro¬ 
phecy,  which  the  paleontologist  must  laboriously 
search  out,  analyze,  and  set  up.”  Now  and  then 
he  finds  a  joint  missing  or  mutilated.  But  the  gen¬ 
eral  outline  of  the  original  is  preserved. 


XVlll 


INTRODUCTION. 


It  has  been  objected  to  Messianic  Prophecy  that 
unity  and  harmony  are  wanting ;  that  such  diverse 
names,  deeds  and  characters  are  assigned  to  the  sup¬ 
posed  Christ.  The  objectors  forget  that  each  predic¬ 
tion  is  a  fragment  of  the  whole,  adaptated  to  a 
particular  place  in  the  complex  structure.  At  one 
time  a  hint  was  given  to  encourage  or  alarm  the  na¬ 
tion  at  a  peculiar  crisis,  and  the  representation  was 
modified  to  suit  the  case  in  hand  ;  at  other  times, 
characteristics  were  delineated  by  which  Emmanuel 
might  be  identified  at  his  appearance.  Of  course 
there  would  be  diversity,  according  to  the  immediate 
purpose  to  be  subserved,  or  the  idiosyncrasy  of  the 
prophet.  He  who  should  collect  and  unitize  in  him¬ 
self  these  diverse  and  fragmentary  predictions  would 
thereby  be  the  more  certainly  proved  Messiah.  One 
biographer  may  dAvell  upon  the  physical  constitution 
and  feats  of  a  hero,  another  may  write  his  intellectual 
history,  and  a  third  his  spiritual.  Each  Avork  may 
be  unlike  each  other  and  yet  all  be  important  parts 
of  the  complete  biography.  So  may  one  prophet 
speak  of  Christ’s  humanity,  another  of  his  divinity, 
a  third  of  his  humiliation  and  sufferings,  and  a  fourth 
of  his  exaltation  and  glory.  Each  attained  but  a 
partial  view  of  that  magnificent  character  respecting 
’  whom  he  Avrote ;  still  there  is  unity  and  agreement 
in  the  different  representations.  In  some  instances 
the  similarity  is  so  striking  that  other  objectors  deny 
the  originality  of  some  of  the  predictions  declaring 


INTCUrUETATION  OF  PROPHECY. 


XIX 


that  one  prophet  merely  purloined  the  writings  of 
another. 

This  objection  overlooks  the  fact  that  the  same 
vision  may  have  been  given  for  similar  ends  to  differ¬ 
ent  seers.  It  may  have  been  desired  to  secure  two 
or  three  witnesses  ”  who  should  agree  in  minute  par¬ 
ticulars  as  well  as  general  principles ;  and  if  the 
thought  were  the  same  in  two  cases,  why  should  not 
the  .second  prophet  record  it  in  the  words  of  the  first  ? 
Small  minds  are  jealous  of  plagiarisms,  great  minds 
appropriate  everything.  The  prophets  were  not  am¬ 
bitious  to  display  originality. 

Much  is  said  about  the  phraseology  of  prophecy. 
Human  language  is  at  best  a  slender  medium  for  su¬ 
pernatural  truth.  The  idea  and  work  of  a  God-man 
were  so  unlike  all  else  that  Messianic  Prophecy  must 
be  straitened  for  language ;  there  were  no  genera 
under  which  to  classify  them ;  they  could  only  be 
represented  by  pictures :  and  to  be  intelligible  to 
Hebrews  the  figures  must  be  drawn  from  Hebrevr 
history.  The  prophets  must  seize  upon  such  things, 
events,  and  characters,  as  came  nearest  to  a  resem¬ 
blance  to  that  character  and  work  of  which  tliey 
wrote.  If  Messiah  were  to  come  as  a  teacher  of  new 
truth,  they  would  name  him  prophet ;  if  to  atone  for 
sin,  he  would  be  called  priest  or  sacrifice ;  or  if  he 
W’ere  conceived  of  as  directino;  and  controllino;  man- 
kind,  he  would  be  to  them  King  or  Lord.  Hence,  in 
the  interpretation  of  prophecy,  we  should  be  guided 


INTRODUCTION. 


by  the  principles  which  we  adopt  in  the  interpretation 
Df  other  figurative  discourse.  Neither  a  strictly  lite¬ 
ral  nor  a  mystical  interpretation  is  admissible :  the 
student  should  try  to  place  himself  in  the  position  of 
the  writer,  become  imbued  with  his  spirit,  comprehend 
his  aim,  and  become  familiar  with  his  mental  and 
rhetorical  habits  and  the  sources  of  his  imagery,  and 
then  apply  in  a  common  sense  manner  the  principles 
of  general  interpretation.  Do  this,  and  much  of  the 
obscurity  of  prophecy  will  vanish. 

The  prophets  did  not  always  understand  the  import 
of  their  own  words  ;  it  was  not  necessary  that  they 
should ;  they  had  not  the  full  canon  by  which  to  be 
guided  in  the  interpretation  of  parts, — we  have. 
Some  predictions  had  an  inferior  reference  to  -  the 
times  and  circumstances  of  the  prophet,  and  a  higher 
reference  to  Christ.  The  Hebrews  would  in  such 
cases  naturally  catch  the  lower  and  fail  of  the  higher 
allusion;  the  Hebrews  were  the  best  interpreters  of 
the  mere  words  of  their  language,  but  not  always  of 
entire  predictions.  Some  predictions  could  only  be 
interpreted  by  the  fulfilment ;  the  time  of  the  ful¬ 
filment  was  generally  left  obscure.  In  the  vision, 
fore-ground  and  back-ground  came  near  together ; 
at  one  time  a  distant  event  is  seen  so  vividly  that  it 
seems  present,  or  the  seer  stands  midway  in  the  scene 
and  looks  both  backward  and  forward ;  at  another 
time,  the  seer  leaps  a  gulf  of  ages  and  looks  back  upon 
intermediate  scenes.  Perhaps  he  even  passes  the 


INTERPRETATION  OF  PROPHECY. 


XXl 


bounds  of  time,  and  from  the  dim  shore  beyond  reads 
us  the  sum  of  our  world’s  history :  thus  scenes  sepa¬ 
rated  by  centuries  are  grouped  together  and  make 
but  one  picture ;  thus  the  beginning  and  the  end  of 
Christ’s  mediatorial  work  are  sometimes  spoken  of  as 
if  there  were  no  long,  ages  between  them.  The 
prophets  sketched  here  and  there  a  shining  point, 
leaving  the  intervals  for  the  development  of  time. 
With  God  ‘‘a  thousand  years  are  as  one  day;”  and 
it  was  enough  for  the  Church  to  know  that  great  mer¬ 
cies  were  in  store  for  her  which  would  be  revealed  in 
God’s  good  time.  In  a  few  instances,  however,  the 
time  of  important  events  was  definitely  predicted. 

The  dramatic  and  symbolical  style  of  many  jjarts 
of  prophecy  is  worthy  of  note.  Often  the  prophet 
leaps  upon  the  stage  and  speaks  now  in  his  own  char¬ 
acter,  then  as  a  by-stander,  and  again  as  the  voice 
of  the  person  seen  in  vision ;  thus  it  comes  that 
even  God  becomes  at  times  a  speaker  in  the  sublime 
colloquy. 

Some  of  the  symbolical  transactions  were  merely 
ideal,  developed  only  in  the  prophet’s  mind ;  others 
were  formally  enacted  before  the  people  in  order  to 
deepen  the  impression  of  the  message. 

Prophecy  was  never  designed  to  be  history ;  faith 
could  not  be  sight.  Revelation  was  made  plain 
enough  for  the  studious  and  susceptible,  not  for  the 
indolent  and  stupid:  it  was  not  expedient  in  any 


XXll 


INTllODUCTIOIS. 


case  that  men  should  know  the  times  and  seasons 
which  the  Father  ”  concealed. 

Some  general  principles  may  now  be  specified 
which  should  guide  us  in  referring  specific  passages 
to  Messiah.  We  may  err  in  regarding  either  too 
much  or  too  little  as  Messianic ;  an  error  on  either 
side  is  unfortunate ;  the  cause  demands  the  whole 
truth,  and  no  more.  We  cannot  get  too  much  real 
prophecy ;  but  scepticism  is  promoted  by  claiming  to 
have  what  we  have  not. 

In  searching  for  Messianic  predictions  we  may  be 
guided  in  part  by  Jewish  tradition.  The  Jews  were 
the  best  interpreters  of  the  Hebrew  language  in  its 
philological  aspect ;  and  before  the  advent  of  Christ 
they  studied  deeply  upon  Messianic  Prophecy ;  and 
their  extreme  reverence  for  tradition  and  tenacity  of 
old  interpretations  have  brought  down  the  views  of 
their  best  commentators.  It  is  therefore  important 
to  notice  an  interpretation  uniformly  given  by  them, 
or  renounced  only  when  it  crossed  later  prejudices. 
Their  referring  a  passage  to  Messiah  is  peculiarly 
significant  when  it  crosses  national  prejudices ;  as 
when  they  refer  a  passage  to  Messiah  which  repre¬ 
sents  him  as  an  humble  sufferer,  this  being  opposed 
to  the  common  Jewish  view  of  Messiah  as  an  invinci¬ 
ble  and  exalted  prince ;  and  there  are  many  such 
instances  where  a  Jew  would  be  pressed  by  all  liis 
prejudices  to  give  a  difiFerent  interpretation. 


INTERPRETATION  OF  PROPHECY. 


XXJIi 


The  Samaritans  furnished  an  unsuspicious  testi- 

0 

mony  to  the  Messianic  import  of  certain  passages  in 
the  Pentateuch.  They  rejected  all  Jewish  tradition, 
and  all  the  Bible  excepting  the  Pentateuch,  and  yet 
had  some  correct  views  of  a  coming  Messiah,  and 
implicit  confidence  in  his  advent. 

Again,  we  may  regard  those  passages  as  3Iessi- 
anic  which  become  significant  wheii  thus  interpreted^ 
hut  are  evidently  inapplicable  to  any  other  person  ; 
such  are  passages  descriptive  of  the  divine  element  in 
Christ’s  character,  and  of  his  atonement. 

Parallel  passages  often  point  out  the  allusion  of 
'  an  obscure  passage.  Sometimes  one  prophet  throws 
light  upon  the  meaning  of  another,  or  one  allusion  in 
some  part  of  an  extended  prediction  may  settle  the 
reference  of  the  whole ;  so  ma,y  one  common  trait 
determine  the  Messianic  character  of  several  other¬ 
wise  diverse  descriptions. 

Christ  and  the  apostles  are  the  most  reliable  in¬ 
terpreters  of  prophecy.  They  sometimes  quoted 
passages  from  the  Old  Testament,  as  in  some  sense 
applicable  to  Christ,  without  declaring  them  to  be 
strictly  predictions  of  him ;  such  quotations  should 
not  be  pressed  beyond  their  merits.  But  when  Christ 
quotes  a  passage  as  a  Messianic  prediction,  it  must  be 
so  received,  or  he  must  be  discarded  as  an  interpreter 
of  the  Old  Testament:  and  Christ  became  respon¬ 
sible  for  the  doctrines  of  the  apostles ;  if  we  im¬ 
peach  their  testimony,  we  impeach  Christ;  and  if 


XXIV 


INTRODUCTION. 


Christ  be  not  a  safe  interpreter  of  prophecy,  then 
there  is  no  safe  interpreter  ;  nor  is  there  in  that  case 
any  revelation,  any  reliable  ancient  history,  or  any 
thin^  safe  and  sure  in  this  Avorld. 

Whoever  has  any  correct  apprehension  of  the 
character  of  Christ,  even  if  he  denies  his  divinity, 
will  hesitate  to  attribute  to  him  a  false  interpretation 
of  scripture.  If  Christ  were  not  the  very  incarna¬ 
tion  of  truth,  he  must  have  been  the  incarnation  of 
falsehood.  If  he  was,  as  he  says,  the  truth,”  then 
Moses  and  the  prophets”  wrote  concerning  him,  and 
he  was  one  with  the  Father. 

Let  no  one  accuse  him  of  accommodating  his  doc¬ 
trines  to  the  prejudices  of  his  age.  The  unaspiring 
and  rigid  Galilean  could  never  have  countenanced  the 
Jesuitic  maxim,  that  a  righteous  end  may  sanctify 
unrighteous  means. 

Finally,  f  ulfilment  is  an  infallible  interpreter  of 
prophecy.  The  New  Testament  is  the  best  commen¬ 
tary  upon  the  Old,  as  the  Old  is  the  best  introduction 
to  the  New.  Finding  many  predictions, — not  of  a 
general  and  indefinite  nature,  but  such  as  no  human 
foresight  or  inference  from  existing  causes  could  pro- 
duce, — accurately  fulfilled  by  Christ,  many  centuries 
after  their  delivery,  and  admitting  no  other  fulfil¬ 
ment,  we  cannot  deny  that  they  were  Messianic  Pro¬ 
phecies.  The  life  of  Christ  is  the  confirmation  of 
their  claim. 


PERIOD  I. 


MESSIANIC  PREDICTIONS  IN  THE  PENTATEUCH. 


How  many  predictions  of  Messiah  may  have  been 
given  before  the  days  of  Moses  we  do  not  know. 
Moses  recorded  enough  to  enable  us  to  trace  the  line 
back  to  the  beginning  of  human  history ;  the  world 
has  now  no  need  of  all  the  intimations  that  may  have 
been  given  to  our  race  when  in  infancy ;  enough 
that  we  find  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  world’s  history 
a  germ  of  promise  which  time  may  develope. 

[Gen.  3:  15.] 

Here  was  given,  to  the  guilty  and  condemned 
mother  of  our  race,  a  promise  that  in  future  time  her 
olfspring  should  triumph  over  her  spiritual  enemy. 
It  was  not  said  whether  the  victory  should  be  won  by 
a  single  person,  or  by  many ;  nor  when  or  in  what 
way  the  Serpent’s  head  should  be  bruised.  The 
promise  was  indefinite,  a  mere  germ ;  but  it  was  a 
divine  promise,  a  golden  anchor  for  the  drifting  race ; 
and  in  all  ages  they  have  clung  to  it  as  the  pledge  of 
a  Savior.  Perhaps  it  was  enough  for  the  early  world ; 

3 


20 


PENTATEUCH. 


[period 


or  other  predictions  may  have  attended  and  followed 
it,  which  the  deluge  of  Noah,  or  the  deluge  of  time, 
has  swept  away.  With  the  commentary  of  Paul,  it 
becomes  to  us  peculiarly  significant.  The  God  of 
l^eace  shall  bruise  Satan  under  your  feet.” 

[Gen.  9:  20,  27.] 

Passing  to  the  second  beginning  of  history,  we 
find  another  intimation,  quite  as  obscure  as  the  above, 
but  valuable,  as  it  puts  us  upon  the  right  line  of 
search  for  future  revelations.  The  Lord  God  will  be 
peculiarly  the  God  of  Shem ;  therefore  the  true  reli- 
'  gion  will  be  preserved  by  him.  Revelations,  and  ul¬ 
timately  the  Messiah,  may  be  looked  for  in  his  line. 
History  teaches  us  the  fulfilment  of  these  implied 
promises. 

[Gen.  12;  3.  Gen.  22:  18.] 

Following  the  genealogical  line  of  Shem,  we  find 
it  soon  producing  another  representative  man,  who 
stands  up  as  a  mile-stone  in  history.  The  venerable 
Abraham  bears  on  his  front  a  new  promise  and  pro¬ 
phecy  for  the  race  :  ‘‘  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  be  blessed.”  God  made  a  remarkable 
covenant  with  this  patriarch,  and  twice  assured  him 
that,  through  his  offspring,  the  world  should  receive 
distinguished  blessings.  How  definitely  he  may  have 
been  informed  respecting  the  manner  in  which  the 
blessing  was  to  come,  we  are  not  told ;  but  that  he 


27 


I.J  PENTATEUCH. 

had  some  distinct  view  of  the  import  of  the  promise 
seems  evident,  from  the  remark  of  him  who  was  the 
blessing:  ‘‘Abram  rejoiced  to  see  my  day,  and  he 
saw  it  and  was  glad.” 

The  importance  of  the  blessing  was  indicated  by 
its  universality.  Abraham  stood  connected  with  no 
group  of  tribes  or  single  division  of  the  race  which 
might  be  called  “  all  the  nations.”  Any  other  than 
a  universal  application  of  the  promise  is  unnatural, 
puerile,  and  contrary  to  all  authority,  either  Hebrew 
or  Christian.  The  solemnly  given  promise  has  no 
significance,  except  in  the  diffusion  of  Christianity : 
regarding  Christianity  as  a  universal  religion,  grow¬ 
ing  out  of  the  Abrahamic  covenant,  the  promise  has 
the  deepest  significance  ;  henceforth  the  true  religion, 
prophecy,  and  eventually  Emmanuel,  may  be  looked 
for  in  the  Hebrew  line. 

[Gen.  28:  14.] 

To  the  grand-son  of  Abraham,  when  a  youthful 
.exile,  lying  by  night  in  the  open  fields,  the  same 
promise  was  renewed.  Abraham's  God  is  with  Jacob  ; 
he,  too,  is  a  marked  man ;  in  his  seed  shall  the  na¬ 
tions  be  blessed. 

[Gen.  49  :  10.] 

Guarded  by  his  father's  God,  through  an  eventful 
life,  Jacob  at  length  gathered  around  him  a  numerous 
family,  and  gave  them  his  dying  benediction.  Ac- 


28  PENTATEUCH.  [PERIOD 

cording  to  the  custom  of  the  ancients,  his  blessing 
was  wrought  into  poetical  form,  that  it  might  be  the 
better  remembered  and  preserved  as  the  heir-loom  of 
the  family.  With  more  than  poetic  inspiration  the 
dying  patriarch  sung  his  farewell.  History  shows  us 
that  his  song  was  a  prophecy,  delineating  the  fortune 
of  his  sons.  These  sons  were  to  be  the  representatives 
of  so  many  distinct,  yet  fraternal,  confederate  tribes. 
The  patriarch  saw,  with  far-searching  vision,  the  lead¬ 
ing  fact  in  each  tribe’s  history.  Judah,  he  says,  will 
be  a  crouching  lion,  holding  law  and  sceptre  between 
his  feet ;  and  he  will  maintain  his  authority  until 
Shiloh,  the  peace-maker,  come  ;  and  around  him  shall 
the  people  rally.  Shiloh  has  been  variously  construed 
as  rest,  peace,  or  a  village  of  that  name ;  but  various 
difficulties  attend  all  such  interpretations,  and  by 
them  the  passage  looses  its  significance.  All  tradi¬ 
tional  interpretation,  Jewish,  Samaritan,  and  Chris¬ 
tian,  refers  the  term  to  Messiah,  ‘‘  that  Lion  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,”  whose  advent  led  the  angels  to  sing 
Peace  on  earth.”  Thus  interpreted,  the  passage, 
becomes  highly  significant  in  the  light  of  history ;  it 
not  only  intimates  that  the  promised  seed  must  spring 
from  the  tribe  of  Judah,  but  that  the  blessing  is  to 
be  revealed  in  a  single  individual ;  that  around  him 
the  people  shall  gather.  He  is  therefore  to  be,  in 
some  sense,  a  leader  or  king, — but  a  peaceful  king, 
giving  the  people  rest.  In  this  character  we  shall 


I] 


PENTATEUCH. 


29 


find  Messiah  often  represented,  his  kingdom  being 
depicted  as  the  perfection  of  the  theocracy. 

History  informs  us  that  Judah  maintained  his  su¬ 
premacy  through  the  whole  history  of  the  theocracy, 
and  secured  the  capital  of  State  in  his  territory. 
From  him  sprang  the  royal  line,  which  retained  at 
least  limited  authority,  until  from  the  same  line 
sprang  Christ,  who  peaceably  founded  a  spiritual 
kingdom,  into  which  all  nations  are  gathering. 

[Numb.  24;  17.] 

From  the  nature  of  the  remaining  books  of  Moses 
we  should  expect  few  Messianic  predictions  in  them ; 
only  two  will  be  specified.  But  the  theocracy  and 
the  ritual  established  by  Moses  were  more  than  pro¬ 
phecies  ;  they  were  the  highest  types  and  prepara¬ 
tives  for  the  advent  of  Christ. 

Of  questionable,  though  probable.  Messianic  im¬ 
port  is  this  prediction  of  Baalam,  ‘‘  There  shall  come 
a  star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  sceptre  shall  rise  out  of 
Israel.”  / 

That  a  star  was  used  as  an  emblem  of  the  Mes¬ 
siah  seems  probable,  both  from  the  primitive  impostor 

• 

who,  claiming  to  be  the  Messiah,  named  himself  Son 
of  a  star,”  also  from  the  visit  of  the  eastern  Magians 
to  Bethlehem,  following  the  star,  at  Christ's  birth  ; 
and  from  Rev.  22 :  16,  where  Christ  is  called  the 
‘^bright  and  morning  star.” 


PENTATEUCH. 


[period 


Baalam,  the  author  of  this  prophecy,  was  from 
the  east,  probably  from  the  same  region  as  the  Magi, 
who  visited  our  Lord.  He  saw  the  star,  ‘‘  but  not 
nigh.” 

David  may  indeed  be  referred  to,  and  probably  is 
mediately,  as  a  type  of  the  Messiah,  and  as  partially 
fulfilling  the  prediction.  But  if  Sheth  or  Seth,  as 
seems  probable,  refers  to  Seth  the  son  of  Adam,  then 
the  passage  asserts  the  universal  sway  of  that  sceptre 
over  the  human  race,  an  assertion  which  could  not  be 
fulfilled  by  David.  Moab  was  used  as  a  type  of  Is¬ 
rael’s  enemies  generally ;  and  the  smiting  of  the 
corners  of  Moab  by  David  may  be  an  emblem  of  the 
subjection  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  Messiah.  Doubtless 
there  are  other  predictions  having  in  this  way  an  in¬ 
ferior  allusion  to  David,  and  a  higher  one  to  Christ. 


[Deut.  18:  15—18.] 

In  his  Deuteronomy,  or  second  giving  of  the  law, 
Moses  sought  to  prepare  the  people  to  go  alone,  as  he 
was  soon  to  be  taken  away.  Amongst  other  admo¬ 
nitions  he  warned  them  against  resorting  to  necro¬ 
mancy  or  divination  ;  and,  for  their  comfort,  assured 
them  that  they  should  not  be  left  without  further  rev¬ 
elations  by  a  true  prophet.  God  would  raise  up  one 
like  himself,  who  should,  under  divine  guidance,  re¬ 
veal  what  might  be  needful  for  them. 

The  Israelites  could  at  that  time  conceive  of  no 
prophet  greater  than  Moses.  When  it  was  said  that 


I] 


PENTATEUCH. 


31 


one  should  be  raised  up  like  him,  it  was  also  implied 
that  he  should  be  both  leader  and  teacher.  As  Moses 

V 

stood  between  the  people  and  God  on  Sinai,  when  this 
promise  was  first  given,  the  thought  would  be  implied 
that  the  coming  prophet  should  also  be  in  some  sense 
a  stand-between,  or  mediator  between,  God  and  the 
people. 

Tradition  and  history  prove  that  both  Samaritans 
and  Jews,  as  also  Christ  and  the  New  Testament 
writers,  regarded  this  as  one  of  the  clearest  and  most 
indisputable  Messianic  Prophecies. 

Peter’s  and  Stephen’s  use  of  this  passage  in  Acts 
3  :  22,  and  7 :  37,  to  prove  that  Jesus  was  the  Mes¬ 
siah,  shows  that  those  to  whom  they  spoke  regarded 
it  as  certainly  Messianic. 

.Christ  declared  that  Moses  wrote  concerning  him, 
and  explained  to  certain  of  his  disciples  the  Messianic 
passages  of  the  Pentateuch.  And  what  passage  if 
not  such  an  one  as  this  ? 

There  may  be  an  inclusive  reference  to  all  the 
prophets  between  Moses  and  Christ,  as  Christ  is  said 
to  have  spoken  through  them ;  1  Pet.  1 :  11.  But 
to  limit  the  reference  to  them  alone,  as  a  prophetic 
order,  is  ungrammatical,  unnatural,  and  never  was  or 
could  be  so  understood  by  the  people,  until  modern 
ingenuity  invented  the  hypothesis,  in  order  to  avoid 
finding  here  a  prediction  of  Christ.  None  of  the 
other  prophets  bore  any  striking  resemblance  to  Mo¬ 
ses  ;  nor  did  the  order  as  a  whole  stand  in  a  similar 


82 


PENTATEUCH. 


[period 


relationship  to  the  people.  The  striking  analogies 
between  Christ  and  Moses  are  plain  to  every  one. 
Regarding  their  personal  history  the  coincidences  are 
wonderful.  Each  of  them  was  born  under  the  reign 
of  a  tyrant,  who  sought  his  life,  which  was  in  each 
case  wonderfully  preserved  ;  each  renounced  the  rich¬ 
es  and  authority  of  the  world,  preferring  poverty  and 
suffering  with  the  people  of  God,  to  a  temporal 
crown ;  each  was  opposed  by  the  people  whose  good 
he  sought,  yet  in  the  end  effected  their  deliverance ; 
each  was  distinguished  for  meekness  and  humility  ; 
each  stood  at  the  head  of  his  age,  and  introduced  a 
dispensation  of  law  and  religion ;  each  in  a  sense 
exercised  the  same  functions  of  Prophet  and  King,  if 
not  of  Priest.  Many  of  their  miracles  and  works 
were  similar ;  and,  above  all  other  similitudes,  each 
acted  the  part  of  mediator  between  God  and  man. 
In  this  most  important  particular,  Christ  only  resem¬ 
bled  Moses,  or  rather  Moses  resembled  none  but 
Christ. 

This  brings  us  through  the  Pentateuch.  We  see 
the  prophetic  intimations  of  a  God-man  brightening. 
From  the  promise  of  triumph  for  the  woman's  seed, 
we  have  gone  along,  step  by  step,  till  we  have  found 
the  nation  and  tribe  from  which  the  victor  shall 
spring ;  we  have  also  received  intimations  of  the  of¬ 
fices  he  shall  exercise.  He  is  to  be  a  peaceful  King ; 
he  is  also  to  be  a  Prophet-leader,  and,  in  some  sense, 
a  Mediator  between  God  and  man.  All  these  predic- 


I] 


PENTATEUCH. 


33 


tions  history  teaches  us  were  wonderfully  realized  in 
a  historical  character  who  appeared  upon  the  stage 
of  human  action  more  than  fourteen  hundred  years 
after  Moses’  death.  Who  can  describe  as  well  and 
confidently  the  highest  leader  and  teacher  of  our  race 
who  shall  appear  fourteen  hundred  years  from  this 
date  ? 

With  the  exit  of  Moses,  Revelation  paused.  To 
the  fruitful  summer  of  his  age  succeeded  a  long  win¬ 
ter.  For  the  next  centuries,  Israel  may  ruminate 
upon  what  Moses  left :  busied  in  their  new  settlement, 
with  the  Pentateuch  to  study,  the  moral  law  as  the 
basis  of  their  government,  and  the  ceremonial  law  to 
guide  their  religious  life,  the  people  will,  for  some 
generations  to  come,  stand  in  no  special  need  of  fur¬ 
ther  revelations. 

When  spring  returns,  and  an  era  of  new  develop¬ 
ments  dawns  upon  the  nation,  we  shall  see  these 
shoots  of  Messianic  promise  budding  and  sending 
forth  new  branches  and  foliage. 


PERIOD  II. 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


The  age  of  David  was  one  of  revolution  and  crea¬ 
tion.  Under  him  the  theocracy  was  firmly  consoli¬ 
dated,  and  the  throne  of  Israel  established ;  he  also 
marked  a  new  epoch  in  sacred  literature.  With  him 
began  the  period  of  lyrical  poetry,  which  produced 
the  central  arch  of  the  ancient  scriptures. 

As  the  heralds  of  new  eras  and  leaders  of  great 
events  are  the  men  through  whom  promises  of  the 
Divine  One  come,  we  naturally  look  to  David  for  a 
new  revelation. 

And  we  find  that  he  became  at  once  the  prophet, 
type,  and  progenitor  of  the  man  of  promise.  His 
toils  and  struggles  for  the  crown,  and  afterward  in 
subduing  the  enemies  of  Israel, — his  final  triumph 
and  successful  reign, — and  the  firm  basis  on  which  he 
planted  his  throne, — afforded  a  rich  fund  of  imagery 
from  which  to  elaborate  new  pictures  of  Messiah. 

That  David  exercised  the  prophetic  gift  and  wrote 
of  Christ  can  not  be  questioned  by  any  one  who  re- 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


35 


ceives  Christ  and  Peter  as  safe  interpreters  of  scrip¬ 
ture.  The  former,  speaking  of  his  relationship  to 
David,  asks  the  Jews  how,  David  could  in  spirit 
[i.  e.,  by  inspiration]  call  him  Lord,  if  he  was  his 
Son?’’  Peter  says  of  him,  Being  a  prophet,  and 
knowing  that  God  had  sworn  that  he  would  raise  up 
Christ  to  sit  upon  his  throne,”  &c.  And  certainly 
the  life  of  Christ  affords  many  confirmations  of  Da¬ 
vid’s  prophetic  gift,  by  fulfilling  many  striking  pas¬ 
sages  of  his  composition.  The  sweet  Psalmist  of 
Israel  himself  said,  “The  spirit  of  the  Lord  spake 
by  me,  and  his  word  was  upon  my  tongue.” 

It  need  not  be  shown  in  what  respects  David  was 
a  type  of  Christ ;  the  later  prophets  will  tell  us  of  the 
“Branch  of  David,”  whose  triumph  and  reign  will 
show  the  likeness.  The  first  intimation  that  David 
was  to  be  the  actual  progenitor  of  Christ  was  given 
by  Nathan. 

[2  Sam.  7:  16.] 

This  passage  is  at  once  a  new  manifestation  of  the 
Messianic  idea,  and  a  fit  introduction  to  the  Davidic 
scriptures.  As  an  encouragement  to  David  for  his 
pious  determination  to  build  a  house  for  the  Most 
High,  a  special  message  is  sent  by  his  faithful  moni¬ 
tor,  Nathan.  Speaking  of  the  establishment  of  the 
throne  in  David’s  family,  the  prophet  suddenly  runs 
forward  through  the  unborn  ages,  and  makes  the  un 


36 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


[PERIOD 


limited  promise  that  his  house,  kingdom,  and  throne, 
shall  be  established  forever.”  The  emotion  of 
David,  upon  receiving  this  announcement,  and  the 
allusions  made  to  it  in  other  scriptures,  show  that 
forever”  was  understood  literally.  And  we  may 
regard  it  as  the  first  definite  prediction  of  the  eter- 
nit}^  of  Messiah’s  kingdom, — as  a  prolongation  of 
the  kingdom  of  David. 

David  is  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  from  which  Shiloh 
is  to  come  ;  the  throne  of  David  is  to  be  imperishable  : 
then  the  Anointed  must  spring  from  David’s  line. 
We  have  therefore  a  new  name  added  to  the  grow¬ 
ing  genealogy  of  the  Prince  of  Peace ;  another  gol¬ 
den  link  is  found  in  the  chain  that  guides  to  the 
Redeemer. 

We  come  now  upon  a  style  of  composition  alto¬ 
gether  different  from  the  plain,  concise,  straightfor¬ 
ward  writings  of  Moses.  The  passages  which  are  be¬ 
lieved  to  be  Messianic  bear  the  general  characteristics 
of  sacred  song  ;  the  imagery  is  mainly  taken  from 
the  experience  of  David  in  his  various  vicissitudes  of 
adversity  and  prosperity.  Hence  many  passages  may 
be  applied  to  David  as  well  as  to  his  great  Successor. 
In  some  places  it  is  diflicult  to  determine  whether  the 
picture  was  designed  to  describe  the  type  or  the  ante- 
type.  Often  the  bard  begins  apparently  to  sing  his 
own  joys  or  sorrows,  and,  ere  he  is  aware,  the  divine 
impulse  bears  him  away  and  aloft  to  sing  of  the  Man 
of  Sorrows  or  the  King  of  Glory.  In  such  cases. 


IT.]  MESSIANIC  PSALMS.  37 

the  Messiah  is  described  in  terms  which  only  more 
than  describe  the  Prophet. 

The  exegetical  processes  by  which  the  Messianic 
claim  of  specific  passages  is  determined  cannot  be 
liere  presented.  Results  alone  can  be  admitted  into 
this  brief  survey ;  those  who  would  test  the  processes 
must  refer  to  more  extended  works. 

Gathering  together  these  flowers  of  prophetic  song, 
we  find  two  distinct  colors,  the  red  and  the  white  roses 
of  prophecy.  In  accordance  with  the  character  of 
that  Prince  to  whom  they  belong,  the  red  and  the 
Vrhite  are  blended ;  but  it  may  be  more  satisfactory 
to  separate  them  in  our  analysis. 

We  find  a  number  of  psalms  which  represent  the 
subject,  whom  we  name  Messiah,  as  enduring  all  con¬ 
ceivable  toils  and  sufferings  while  he  struggles  against 
implacable  enemies.  These  we  may  call  the  red 
flowers,  which  tell  of  contest  and  blood ;  and  they 
give  us  a  new  insight  into  the  history  of  that  Prince 
i  or  whom  Ave  seek :  they  hint  that  He  who  is  to 
^‘bruise  the  serpent’s  head,”  and  establish  a  per¬ 
petual,  peaceful  kingdom,  will  do  it  by  contest ;  will 
enter  into  sympathy  with  our  race  by  sharing  its  toils 
ind  miseries. 

The  other  class  of  Psalms  describe  the  hero  in 
.riurnph  and  glory.  In  them  he  appears  as  a  mag¬ 
nificent  Ruler,  King  of  nations,  or,  at  times,  as  a 
Priest  of  illustrious  order.  The  completeness  of  his 
4 


38 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


[PERIOD 


victory,  the  universality  of  his  dominion,  and  the  wil¬ 
ling  homage  of  the  nations  are  minutely  delineated. 
The  divine  element  also  of  Messiah’s  character  here 
clearly  appears.  He  is  Son  of  God,”  in  a  new  and 
peculiar  sense.  All  these,  it  will  be  noticed,  are  new 
features  in  the  advancing  portrait. 

It  seems  more  natural  to  take  up  first  those  psalms 
which  describe  the  hero  in  humiliation,  contest,  and 
struggle,  before  he  attains  the  crown.  In  these  songs 
of  sorrow  the  imagery  is  taken  from  the  sufferings  of 
a  pious  Israelite,  say  David,  who  seeks  to  live  a  godly 
life  in  the  midst  of  wicked  enemies.  Keeping  in 
mind  that  we  are  studying  poetry,  we  shall  not  expect, 
to  find  every  phrase  and  figure  literally  fulfilled  in 
Messiah.  The  general  scope  and  import  of  a  whole 
piece  should  rather  be  regarded.  Still,  we  shall  at 
times  be  startled  to  find  that  what  seemed  a  figure, 
comes  out  in  the  fulfilment  as  literal  fact.  Often 
some  one  specific  trait  marks  a  whole  paragraph  or 
psalm  as  Messianic. 

The  dramatic  style  is  prominent  in  some  places. 
At  times  we  have  the  Man  of  Sorrows  uttering  sadly 
his  own  grief ;  then  suddenly  Jehovah  himself  steps 
upon  the  stage,  and  we  listen  to  the  voice  of  the  Eter¬ 
nal  honoring  his  Son. 


[Psalm  16.] 

A  Holy  One  in  the  abyss  of  suffering  expresses  his 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


39 


II.] 


confidence  in  the  goodness  and  power  of  God  to 
deliver  him.  Though  about  to  die  he  will  ‘‘rest  in 
hope;”  for,  says  he,  “thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in 
Sheoly  neither  wilt  thou  sufiFer  thine  Holy  One  to  see 
corruption.  Thou  wilt  show  me  the  path  of  life  :  in 
thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy.” 

The  general  drift  of  the  psalm  is  doubtless  expres¬ 
sive  of  some  scene  in  David’s  experience.  And  until 
the  fulfilment  of  the  latter  part  in  Christ,  the  inter¬ 
pretation  must  have  been  difficult;  hence  the  Jewish 
legend,  that  the  body  of  David  did  not  corrupt  in  the 
grave,  and  would  not  till  the  resurrection.  Peter,  in 
Acts  2 :  26 — 32,  gives  us  the  true  interpretation.  Quo¬ 
ting  the  passage,  he  remarks  that  David  as  a  prophet 
here  “  spake  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  that  his 
soul  was  not  left  in  hell,  neither  his  flesh  did  see  cor¬ 
ruption.”  Paul,  in  Acts  13 :  35 — 37,  refutes  the 
legend  respecting  David,  and  declares  the  prediction 
fulfilled  in  Christ.  Taking  this  interpretation  of 
Peter  and  Paul,  we  find  here  our  first  intimation  of 
the  bitter  sufferings  and  death  of  that  Holy  One  who 
was  to  come.  He  must  enter  the  dark  realm  of  Sheol 
ere  he  passes  up  the  path  of  life  into  the  presence 
of  joy  and  pleasures.  What  a  glance  is  this  into  that 
cup  of  humiliation  which  the  Holy  One  must  drink. 
To  what  a  length  was  the  Psalmist  borne  in  his  tear¬ 
ful  yet  joyful  soliloquy,  to  utter  thus  the  great  truth 
of  a  dying  Lord,  and  of  his  resurrection. 


40 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


[period 


[Psalm  40.] 

The  subject  of  this  psalm  contemplates  the  suffer¬ 
ings  he  had  incurred  and  the  deliverance  wrought  for 
him,  mentions  the  reasons  of  his  condescension,  rejoi¬ 
ces  that  he  has  introduced  salvation,  and  supplicates 
support  and  comfort  in  the  bitter  trials  yet  before  him. 

The  interpretation  turns  upon  verses  6  and  7,  the 
import  of  which  seems  to  be  this  :  sacrifices  and  offer¬ 
ings  not  being  sufficient  to  atone  for  sin,  I  have  come 
in  fulfilment  of  prophecy  to  obey  the  law  and  jjreach 
righteousness. 

These  wmrds  are  evidently  not  referable  to  the 
Psalmist  himself.  When  did  David  learn  that  sacri¬ 
fices  were  unacceptable  to  God,  and  instead  of  them 
offer  himself  ?  Or  where  in  the  volume  of  the  book, 
which  must  be  the  Pentateuch,  w^as  it  written  of  David 
that  he  should  come  to  fulfil  the  law  and  preach 
righteousness  ? 

The  stress  of  the  passage  lies  upon  the  obedience 
which  should  be  an  acceptable  offering  for  sin.  Notice¬ 
able  also  is  the  dignity  of  the  person.  He  descends 
fco  obey,  to  receive  a  body,  and  to  preach  righteous¬ 
ness.  The  obedience  of  this  individual,  his  work  and 
sufferings,  are  to  supplant  sacrifices  and  offerings.  He 
will  therefore  be  Redeemer.  He  must  be  God-man. 
So  the  author  of  Hebrews  10 :  5,  etc.,  interprets :  “  Lo, 
I  come  to  do  thy  will,  0  God  .  .  .  By  the  wffiich  will  we 
are  sanctified  through  the  offering  of  the  body  of 
Jesus  Christ,  oneo  for  allf'  lie  it  is  who  comes  to 

t- 


II.] 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


41 


fulfil  the  prediction  in  the  Book.  This  use  of  the 
passage  shows  that  the  Hebrews  themselves  regarded 
it  as  certainly  Messianic. 

The  Septuagint  and  New  Testament  version  of 

f 

the  phrase,  ‘‘  mine  ears  hast  thou  opened,”  is  here 
retained  as  being  the  probable  import  of  these  words, 
without  the  figure.  Opening  the  ears  was  significant 
of  attention  and  obedience.  To  ofier  an  atonement 
that  should  take  the  place  of  sacrifices  would  of 
course  require  a  body.  Hence  probably  the  Seventy, 
from  whose  translation  Paul  quotes,  rendered  it,  a 
body  hast  thou  prepared  me.”  Some  other  reason 
now  unknown  may  have  existed  for  this  translation. 
It  has  at  least  the  sanction  of  the  writer  of  Hebrews. 
Hence  we  may  regard  this  as  the  first  definite  predic¬ 
tion  of  the  divine  incarnation.  Some  one,  foretold  in 
the  scriptures  that  were  written  before  the  time  of 
David,  is  to  receive  a  body,  fulfil  the  divine  law,  and 
preach  righteousness. 

Reading  in  the  12th  verse  calamities  for  ^iniqui¬ 
ties,”  according  to  the  better  translators,  we  find  in 
the  whole  psalm  nothing  inconsistent  with  the  char¬ 
acter  of  Christ  in  his  hours  of  sadness,  when  he  cried 
to  God  for  help  to  do  his  will.  But  the  psalm  can  be 
referred  to  no  other  person  without  evident  inconsis¬ 
tency. 

[Psalm  22.] 

The  agony  of  the  pious  sufferer  reaches  its  climax 
4* 


i 


42  MESSIANIC  PSALMS  [PERIOD 

in  this  saddest  of  sonars.  The  writer  must  have 
seemed  to  hang  upon  the  cross  in  the  place  of  the 
dying  Redeemer  to  have  delineated  so  truthfully  that 
great  transaction  on  Calvary. 

No  scene  in  the  life  of  David,  or  of  any  other 
man,  save  him  who  hung  between  the  thieves  on  Gol¬ 
gotha,  approaches  to  a  fulfilment  of  this  picture. 
Aware  of  this,  objectors  have  suggested  that  the 
Psalmist  personifies  the  people  of  Israel.  But  the 
marks  of  individuality  are  too  striking  to  admit  this 
suggestion,  which  has  indeed  nothing  in  its  favor. 

Had  we  no  fulfilment  in  view  w^e  might  regard  the 
whole  of  the  first  part  of  the  psalm  to  the  twenty- 
first  verse  as  a  poetical  delineation  of  the  thoughts 
and  words  of  a  pious  man  suffering  the  agonies  of  death. 
But  in  the  death  of  Christ  occur  so  many  verifica¬ 
tions  of  specific  and  peculiar  thoughts  that  figure 
gives  w’ay  to  striking  fact. 

Take  such  expressions  as  the  following,  and  read 
them  in  connection  with  the  narratives  of  Jesus  on 
the  cross.  Who  does  not  seem  to  hear  the  agonized 
Jesus  crying  out,  in  the  words  of  the  first  verse  of  this 
psalm,  ‘‘  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me  V  In  that  bitter  hour,  when  the  Father  seemed 
to  have  left  him,  his  own  grief,  and  not  the  remembered 
prediction,  must  have  called  forth  this  exclamation, 
yet  so  it  was  written.  All  they  that  see  me  laugh 
me  to  scorn ;  they  shoot  out  the  lip,  they  shake  the 
head,  saying.  He  trusted  on  the  Lord  that  he  would 


II.] 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


43 


deliver  liiin ;  let  him  deliver  him,  seeing  he  delighted 
in  him.”  Matthew  says,  ‘‘  They  that  passed  by  reviled 
him,  wagging  their  heads,  and  saying,  if  thou  be  the 
Son  of  God,  come  down  from  the  cross :  he  trusted  in 
God  ;  let  him  deliver  him  now,  if  he  will  have  him : 
for  he  said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God.”  Does  any  one 
believe  that  these  revilers  knew  that  they  were  fulfil¬ 
ling  David’s  prediction  ?  God  makes  the  wrath  of 
man  to  praise  him.''  I  am  poured  out  like  water,  and 
all  my  bones  are  out  of  joint :”  what  words  more 
expressive  of  the  relaxing  frame  suspended  for  long 
hours  by  the  nailed  hands  and  feet  ?  My  tongue 
cleaveth  to  my  jaws:”  in  that  burning  thirst  which 
comes  upon  the  victim  of  crucifixion  as  the  blood 
ebbs  away,  Jesus  cried  out,  I  thirst.” 

They  pierced  my  hands  and  my  feet.”  The 
best  authorities  tell  us.  that  in  crucifixion  the  hands 
and  feet  were  generally  nailed,  not  tied,  to  the  cross. 
That  this  was  the  case  with  Christ  appears  from  the 
remark  of  the  sceptical  Thomas, except  I  shall  see 
in  his  hand  the  print  of  nails,  and  put  my  finger  into 
the  print  of  the  nails,  I  will  not  believe.”  And  from 
the  remark  of  Jesus,  which  so  humbled  Thomas,” 
‘‘Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold  my  hands.” 
“Behold  my  hand-s  and  my  feet  that  it  is  I  myself.” 

This  plainly  refers  to  a  kind  of  execution  which 
was  unknown  in  Palestine  in  the  days  of  David,  cru¬ 
cifixion  having  been  introduced  centuries  afterwards 
by  the  Romans. 


44  MESSIANIC  PSALMS.  [PERIOD 

They  part  my  garments  among  them  and  cast 
lots  for  mv  vesture.”  We  here  seem'  to  see  Jesus 

4/ 

looking  down  from  his  cross  upon  the  soldiers  as  they 
divide  his  under-garments  and  gamble  for  his  coat. 
“  These  things,”  says  John,  the  soldiers  did.” 

And  surely  neither  the  soldiers,  nor  the  infuriated 
Jews,  had  any  thought  of  fulfiling  prophecy  in  this 
matter.  Had  it  occurred  to  them  that  they  were 
thus  crucifying  the  promised  Messiah  they  would 
have  shrunk  in  terror  from  the  deed. 

And  who  but  that  Spirit,  to  whom  the  future  is  as 
the  present,  could  have  thus  delineated  in  the  days  of 
David  the  minute  particulars  of  a  crucifixion  scene  ? 

Many  expressions — such  as,  ‘‘  Strong  bulls  of 
Bashan  have  beset  me  round,”  Dogs  have  compas¬ 
sed  me,”  &c. — are  evidently  common  figures,  expres¬ 
sive  of  the  pressure  of  enemies;  for  such  we  need 
not  seek  a  particular  fulfilment.  But  this  is  not  the 
case  in  such  specifications  as,  ‘‘  They  pierced  my 
hands  and  my  feet.” 

The  whole  passage  is  an  apt  representation  of 
the  struggles  of  soul  endured  by  him  who,  in  the 
days  of  his  flesh,  ofiFered  up  prayers  and  supplications 
with  strong  crying  and  tears.” 

After  this  doleful  soliloquy,  from  the  twenty-sec¬ 
ond  verse  and  onward,  as  if  cheered  by  a  new  prom¬ 
ise  and  hope,  the  speaker,  in  a  tone  agreeing  well  with 
the  general  spirit  of  Christ,  tells  how  he  will  prove 
his  gratitude  to  God  for  support  and  comforts ;  and 


45 


II.]  MESSIANIC  rSALMS. 

speaks  of  the  conversion  and  ingathering  of  the  Gen¬ 
tile  nations,  in  a  style  appropriate  only  to  him  who 
broke  down  the  Jewish  partition,  and  brought  in 
other  sheep  not  of  the  Hebrew  fold.” 

[Psalm  69.] 

This  psalm  is  worthy  of  our  attention  in  this  con¬ 
nection,  though  its  allusion  to  Messiah  is  not  so  cer¬ 
tain  as  that  of  the  preceding.  The  general  spirit 
and  tone  are  the  same  as  in  the  above ;  and  some 
particular  passages  receive  in  Christ  a  marked  fulfil¬ 
ment. 

Take  the  following ;  I  am  become  a  stranger 
unto  my  brethren,  and  an  alien  unto  my  mother’s 
children.”  The  Evangelists  tell  us  respecting  Christ 
that  neither  did  his  brethren  believe  in  him,” 
before  his  crucifixion.  Again :  The  zeal  of  thine 

house  hath  eaten  me  up  ;”  the  disciples  regarded 
the  zeal  of  Christ  in  expelling  the  hucksters  from 
the  Temple  a  fulfilment  of  these  words.  The  re¬ 
proaches  of  them  that  reproached  thee  are  fallen  upon 
me,”  referred  to  Christ,  in  Romans  15  :  3.  They 
gave  me  also  gall  for  my  meat ;  and  in  my  thirst  they 
gave  me  vinegar  to  drink.”  Matthew  says  that  they 
gave  to  Christ,  at  his  crucifixion,  vinegar  mingled 
with  gall.” 

These  particulars  might  indeed  be  fulfilled  in 
another  than  Christ ;  and  hence  taken  alone  might 
be  of  doubtful  allusion ;  but  coupled  with  the  preced- 


46  MESSIANIC  PSALMS.  [PERIOD 

4 

ing  psalms  one  can  scarce  doubt  that  they  refer  to 
the  same  person. 

Glancing  back  now  over  these  few  psalms,  what  a 
picture  do  they  give  of  the  work  and  experience  of 
Emmanuel  in  his  incarnate  life !  He  will  come  to  do 
the  divine  will,  atone  for  sin,  and  preach  righteous¬ 
ness.  But  he  shall  be  opposed,  persecuted,  and  cru-' 
elly  murdered.  This  then  shall  be  the  experience  of 
the  Divine  One  when  he  comes  down  to  redeem  our  race. 

But  shall  the  enemies  of  the  Anointed  triumph  ? 
Where  then  is  the  victory,  the  kingdom  and  reign  of 
peace,  the  world- wide  blessing  ?  Is  our  w’orld  so 
debased  that  even  a  God-man  can  not  stem  the  tide 
of  ruin ;  that  whoever  enters  into  organic  connection 
with  the  seed  of  Adam  must  be  borne  to  the  general 
doom,  though  he  were  divine  ?  Is  there  only  contest 
and  death  before  the  Christ? 

Contest  like  this  ends  but  in  victory.  He  who 
goes  forth  weeping,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall  doubt¬ 
less  come  again  singing,  bearing  his  sheaves  with 
him.”"  Messiah  will  exemplify  the  universal  law  of 
progress  and  triumph,  from  toil  and  sorrow,  to  rest 
and  joy,  through  Sheol  up  to  the  presence  of  joy  and 
pleasures  immortal. 

The  sweet  Psalmist  had  also  more  cheering  vis¬ 
ions  of  the  Prince  of  Peace.  He  sang  pseans  as  well 
as  dirges.  Let  us  turn  now  to  a  class  of  prophetic 
songs  of  another  spirit,  and  learn  wLat  visions  David 

may  have  had  of  his  exalted  Son  and  Lord. 

%/ 


II.] 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


47 


Of  this  class  there  are  several,  which  so  evidently 
refer  to  the  same  person  that,  if  the  Messianic  char¬ 
acter  of  one  be  admitted,  the  others  may  be  received 
upon  the  same  evidence. 

[Psalm  2.] 

The  second  psalm  presents  the  hero  as  it  were  In 
his  transition  from  submission  and  humiliation  to  com¬ 
mand  and  conque^st.  The  Psalmist  sees,  in  vision, 
Jehovah  appointing  and  proclaiming  as  King  his 
anointed  Son  ;  while  the  hostile  nations  of  the  earth 
in  mob-violence  rage  around  him.  The  several  char¬ 
acters  are  presented  to  us  in  vivid,  dramatic  style. 
The  Prophet  first  asks  the  cause  of  the  rage  and 
tumult  of  the  nations,  quoting  their  furious  exclama¬ 
tions  in  their  own  language;  and  then  warns  them  (tf 
their  folly  in  those  terrible  words  of  divine  mockery, 
‘‘He  that  sittethin  the  heavens  shall  laugh  ;  the  Lord 
shall  have  them  in  derision!''  Next,  the  voice  of 
God  is  heard  declaring  to  them,  “  I  have  set  my 
King  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion."  Then  the  Aiioln- 
^  ted  steps  forth  and  utters  his  own  commission,  The 
Lord  (Jehovah)  hath  said  unto  me.  Thou  art  my  Son  : 
this  day  have  I  begotten  thee."  The  psalm  closes 
Avith  an  admonition  to  the  kings  and  judges  of  the 
earth  to  submit  wisely  and  meekly  to,  and  rejoice  iii, 
the  rule  of  Him  whose  Avrath  is  consuming ;  but  avIio 
will  bless  all  those  who  put  their  trust  in  him. 


48 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS 


[PERIOD 


We  find  Jehovah  here  calling  this  King  ‘‘  Son,” 
in  an  emphatic  and  peculiar  sense.  He  is  begotten, 
not  simply  appointed,  King.  As  a  son,  begotten  of 
God,  he  must  partake  of  the  divine  nature.  Kings 
are  admonished  to  fear  him  as  they  would  fear  God  him¬ 
self.  The  nations  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth, 
not  the  tribes  to  the  ends  of  Palestine,  are  given  to  him 
for  a  possession.  Rebellion  against  him  is  regarded  as 
rebellion  against  Jehovah.  All  this  is  appropriate  if 
referred  to  Christ,  and  inappropriate  if  referred  to 
David,  Solomon,  or  any  of  their  successors,  save 
Christ. 

Peter  saw  the  fulfilment  of  the  first  verses  of  this 
psalm  in  that  first  storm  of  persecution,  headed  by  Jews 
and  Romans,  which  crucified  his  Lord,  and  laid  the 
Sisciples  under  the  anathema  of  the  Sanhedrim,  Acts 
4  :  25 — 27.  And  that  persecution  has  been  in  effect 
often  repeated  in  the  history  of  Christianity.  Against 
what  else  have  kings  and  nations  so  fiercely  raged 
as  against  the  rule  of  this  Anointed  ? 

In  Hebrews  1 :  5,  the  phrase,  Thou  art  my  Son,” 
is  quoted  to  prove  Christ’s  superiority  over  the  angels.  • 
(See  also  Hebrews  5 :  5.)  The  objection  sometimes 
urged  that  the  crushing  rule  of  the  iron  sceptre, 
depicted  in  verse  9,  is  inconsistent  with  the  idea  of 
the  Prince  of  Peace,  is  groundless.  He  is  Prince  of 
Peace  only  to  those  who  will  be  at  peace  with  him. 

.  To  the  enemies  of  peace  he  is  always  represented  as 
terrible.  That  ideal  of  incarnate  meekness  and 


II.] 


MESb^IANIC  PSALMS. 


49 


benevolence,  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  uttered  the  most 
Avithering  denunciations  ever  breathed  against  the 
Avicked.  Think  of  that  burnino;  sea  in  Avhich  Dives 
AA^as  tormented,  and  of  the  outer  darkness,’'  the 
AA^ailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth,”  Avhere  “  their  Avorm 
dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.”  The  flesh 
creeps  Avith  horror  at  such  pictures  as  he  drcAv  by  a 
feAV  terrible  Avords.  ‘‘  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  ”  an  angry  God,  and  ‘‘  Crocl  is  angry 
with  the  wicked''  The  dashing  iron  sceptre  becomes 
the  avenger  of  broken  laAv  and  scorned  mercy. 

[Psalm  110.] 

Of  the  same  import  Avith  the  above  is  psalm  110. 
Both  the  superscription  and  the  imagery  mark  the 
piece  as  of  David’s  composition.  David  therefore, 
the  human  head  of  the  theocracy,  declares  that  Jeho¬ 
vah  offers  to  share  his  throne  Avith  this  person  Avhom 
David  himself  calls  Lord :  Jehovah  said  unto  my 
Lord,  sit  thou  at  my  right  hand.”  This  intimates  a 
more  than  human  personage. 

The  fourth  verse  demands  peculiar  notice.  We 
have  already  had  some  intimation  that  the  Messiah 
Avould  atone  for  sin.  Here  his  priestly  office  is  dis¬ 
tinctly  asserted,  and  the  exalted  character  of  his 
priesthood  intimated.  The  Lord  hath  SAVorn,  and 
Avill  not  repent.  Thou  art  a  priest  forever  after  the 
order  of  Melchizedec.”  This  is  peculiar,  from  the 
fact  that  the  regal  and  sacerdotal  offices  Avere  never 
5. 


50 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


[PERIOI) 


united  in  the  theoracy,  unless  by  wicked  usurpers  in 
degenerate  times.  David  and  Solomon  were  great 
kings,  but  not  priests.  This  person  is  to  be  both  king 
and  priest. 

His  priesthood  is  also  to  be  not  Aaronic,  but  Mel- 
chizedec-like.  The  peculiarity  of  Melchizedec  was 
that,  in  connection  with  the  regal  power,  he  exercised 
an  independent  priesthood,  to  the  duration  of  which 
there  was  no  defined  limit.  The  inference  is  that 
this  priesthood  may  be  eternal.  Thou  art  a  priest 
forever.”  Hebrews  6  :  20,  and  7th  chapter,  show  the 
pertinence  of  this  as  a  representation  of  the  priest¬ 
hood  of  Christ. 

The  remaining  verses  of  the  psalm  describe  the 
hero  in  the  victorious  pursuit  of  his  enemies,  and  his 
supreme  sway  over  the  nations.  The  word  rendered 
Lord  in  the  fifth  verse,  Adonai,  intimates  the  divinity 
of  this  rega'l  priest. 

The  last  verse  gives  a  vivid  picture  of  his  conquests 
under  the  figure  of  a  warrior  pursuing  an  enemy,  in 
his  haste  stopping  to  drink  from  a  brook  in  the  w’ay, 
and  rising  refreshed  for  more  vigorous  pursuit.  To 
those  who  find  here  indications  of  a  vindictive  spirit  it 
need  only  be  remarked  that  the  spiritual  contests  and 
triumph  of  Christ  are  frequently  depicted  by  such 

Manv  New  Testament  allusions  indicate  that  the 
psalm  was  in  the  days  of  Christ  regarded  as  undoubt¬ 
edly  Messianic.  Christ  himself  declares  that  David, 


II.] 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


51 


under  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit  here  called  Messiah 
Lord,”  intimating  his  divine  nature.  Matt.  22  :  41, 
etc.  Peter,  Acts  ’2 :  34-36,  assures  the  house  of 
Israel  ”  that  the  Lord,  spoken  of  in  this  psalm,  is 
That  same  Jesus  whom  ye  have  crucified.” 

[Psalm  45.] 

Psalms  45  and  72  present  the  Anointed  as.  settled 
in  his  peaceful  kingdom  and  court  with  all  the 
emblems  of  royalty  about  him.  The  subjection, 
suffering,  and  sorrow,  the  toil  and  contest  are  past. 
The  victory  is  achieved.  The  reign  of  peace  has 
begun. 

The  heart  of  the  Psalmist  overfiows  as  he  proceeds 
to  delineate,  in  the  highest  vein  of  oriental  poetry, 
the  magnificence  of  Messiah’s  court.  ‘‘  Thou  art 
fairer  than  the  children  of  men  :  grace  is  poured  into 
thy  lips.”  ‘‘  Gird  thy  sword  upon  thy  thigh,  0  most 
mighty,  with  thy  glory  and  thy  majesty.  And  in 
thy  majesty  ride  prosperously,  because  of  truth  and 
meekness  and  righteousness.”  Thy  throne,  0  God, 
is  forever  and  ever.”  ‘‘Thou  lovest  righteousness 
and  hatest  wickedness :  therefore,  (0)  God,  thy  God 
hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  thy 
fellows.  All  thy  garments  smell  of  myrrh  and  aloes 
and  cassia,  out  of  the  ivory  palaces,  whereby  they 
have  made  thee  glad.” 

In  accordance  with  oriental  views,  the  grandeur 
of  the  king  is  in  part  displayed  by  the  number  and 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


[period 


beauty  of  the  females  that  surround  his  court. 
“  King’s  daughters  were  among  thy  honorable  wo¬ 
men.”  Among  them  one  shines  pre-eminent.  Up¬ 
on  thy  right  hand  did  stand  the  queen  in  gold  of 
Ophir.” 

The  voluptuous  imagery  of  this  description  has 
caused  many  to  regard  the  psalm  as  an  epithalamium 
written  upon  the  marriage  of  Solomon  to  Pharaoh’s 
daughter. 

But  the  description  of  the  king  by  no  means 
suits  Solomon,  who  was  never  a  warrior  as  this 
favored  one  had  been.  Nor  does  the  picture  of  the 
queen  suit  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh,  especially  in 
the  particulars  of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth 
verses. 

Referring  the  psalm  to  Christ,  it  is  all  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  other  poetical  representations  of  him  and 
his  bride,  the  Church. 

The  superscription,  for  the  sons  of  Korah,  marks 
this  psalm  as  one  designed  for  the  public  worship  of 
the  sanctuary.  It  is  Maschil,  a  devout  poem  or 
hymn.  This  refutes  the  epithalamium  theory.  No 
mere  nuptial  song  would  be  admitted  into  the  public 
worship  of  God.  To  deny  the  genuineness  of  the 
superscription  is  a  mere  device,  the  genuineness  of 
the  whole  psalm  might  as  well  be  denied. 

The  writer  of  Hebrews  uses  verses  6  and  7  of  this 
psalm  to  prove  the  superiority  of  Christ  over  the 
angels.  And  his  use  of  the  term  God,  as  applied  to 


MESSIANIC  PSALMS. 


53 


n.] 

him,  is  such  as  to  indicate  his  divinity.  He  renders 
it  by  Theos,  God.  Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  forever 
and  ever.  0  God,  thy  God  hath  anointed  thee,  etc.’' 
There  is  an  evident  absurdity  in  any  interpretation 
yet  given  which  seeks  to  evade  the  divinity  here 
ascribed  to  this  sovereign  Lord. 

[Psalm  72.] 

Altogether  similar  to  the  foregoing  is  this  seventy- 
second  psalm.  The  imagery  of  the  poem  is  evidently 
borrowed  from  the  peaceful  reign  of  a  righteous  king, 
say  Solomon. 

We  may  suppose  it  to  have  been  written  by  David, 
near  the  close  of  his  life  in  contemplation  of  the 
reign  of  Solomon,  just  now  commencing  under  most 
happy  auspices.  Full  of  the  glowing  thoughts  in¬ 
spired  by  the  prospects  of  his  son,  and  the  promises 
of  eternal  dominion  in  his  line,  David  is  borne  on  by 
the  Spirit  of  inspiration  to  depict  the  reign  of  that 
greater  Son  of  whom  Solomon  was  but  a  type. 

He  shall  come  down  like  rain  upon  the  mown 
grass  ;  as  showers  that  water  the  earth.  In  his  days 
shall  the  righteous  flourish ;  and  abundance  of  peace 
so  long  as  the  moon  endureth.  He  shall  have  domin¬ 
ion  also  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  unto  the 
ends  of  the  earth.  .  .  All  kings  shall  fall  down  before 
him  ;  all  nations  shall  serve  him.  .  .  Prayer  also  shall 
be  made  for  him  continually ;  and  daily  shall  he  be 
praised.  .  .  His  name  shall  endure  forever  ;  his  name 

5* 


54  MESSIANIC  PSALMS.  [PERIOD 

shall  be  continued  as  long  as  the  sun ;  and  men  shall 
be  blessed  in  him  :  all  nations  shall  call  him  blessed/' 
Here  is  an  evident  allusion  to  the  promise  made  to 
the  patriarchs,  in  whose  “  seed  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  should  be  blessed." 

Who  can  imagine  a  more  beautiful  and  consistent 
picture  of  the  perfect  reign  of  Christ  than  this  psalm 
presents  ?  A  picture  not  realized,  and  not  to  be 
realized  in  any  other  reign.  Zechariah,  9  :  10,  quotes 
the  eighth  verse  of  the  psalm  in  his  description  of  the 
extension  of  Messiah's  kingdom,  And  his  dominion 
shall  be  from  sea  even  to  sea  and  from  the  river  even 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth." 

[Psalm  8.] 

We  may  appropriately  close  this  survey  of  the 
Messianic  Psalms  with  the  devout  reflections  of 
David;  when  under  the  starry  heavens,  looking  up 
to  those  sailing  worlds  of  light,  and  viewing  them  as 
monuments  of  the  Creator's  greatness,  in  contrast 
with  his  condescension  to  the  littleness  of  man  and 
earthly  things,  he  exclaimed,  What  is  man  that  Thou 
art  mindful  of  him  ?  and  the  son  of  man  that  Thou 
visitest  him  ?  " 

According  to  the  writer  of  Hebrews,  2 :  6-9,  the 
Psalmist  here  threw  himself  forward  to  the  contem¬ 
plation  of  man  as  reclaimed  and  restored  to  his 
primeval  dignity  by  that  great  ideal  of  humanity, 
and  revelation  of  Deity,  that  was  to  come  in  his  regal 
descendant  and  Lord. 


II.] 


MESSIANIC  rSALMS. 


55 


Under  types  drawn  from  the  dominion  given  to 
man  in  his  original  state,  he  describes  the  eternal 
dominion  promised  to  that  Son  and  Lord  who  is  to  be 
crowned  with  glory  and  honor.” 

What,  indeed,  is  man  that  he  should  be  exalted  to 
a  participation  of  the  divine  dominion  ?  that  the 
great  God  should  come  down  and  fellowship  so  low  a 
creature  ?  We  can  only  say  with  the  Psalmist,  0 
Lord,  our  Lord,  how  excellent  is  thy  name  in  all  the 
earth.” 

‘  So  much  the  sweet  Psalmist”  adds  to  the  pro¬ 
phetic  idea  of  Messiah.  Looking  back  we  see  a 
marked  advancement  in  the  development  of  this  sub¬ 
ject.  David  has  set  forth  distinctly  the  doctrine  of 
the  humiliation,  suffering,  and  sorrow  of  the  Re¬ 
deemer  ;  his  eternal  priesthood  ;  and  the  triumph  and 
splendor  of  his  final  reign. 

Here  again  drops  the  veil  over  the  visions  of 
prophecy.  Unless  the  Wisdom”  of  Proverbs  refers 
to  Christ,  which  is  doubtful,  we  have  no  other  addi¬ 
tions  to  Messianic  literature  in  this  period.  The 
lyric  age  closed  with  Solomon.  The  theocracy  had 
now  reached  its  zenith  and  brought  forth  its  choicest 
earthly  fruit.  The  book  of  Psalms  is  the  whole  of 
religion  and  theology  set  to  music. 

Two  hundred  years  the  world  may  now  rest  and 
live  upon  the  products  of  this  fruitful  period.  Some 
new  crisis  must  arise  in  the  theocracy  to  call  forth  a 
new  dispensation  of  revelation.  Some  other  great 


56  MESSIANIC  PSALMS.  [PERIOD 

spiritual  leader  or  leaders  must  appear  before  we  can 
get  to  another  Pisgah. 

The  theocracy  having  reached  its  culmination,  in 
a  temporal  aspect,  and  blossomed  out  in  immortal 
song,  begins  henceforth  to  ripen,  and  exhibit  the 
yellow  leaf.  The  next  crisis  comes  in  storm  and 
darkness.  But  at  evening  time,  for  the  true  people 
of  God,  there  shall  be  light.” 


PERIOD  III. 


BOOKS  OF  THE  PROPHETS. 


From  the  sweet  melodies  of  the  Psalmist  we  turn 
to  the  less  melodious  but  sublimer  strains  of  the  seers 
who  WTote  in  less  hopeful  times. 

Abraham,  Moses,  and.  David  exercised  the  pro¬ 
phetic  gift;  but,  excepting  Moses,  they  were  not 
prophets  in  the  technical  sense.  What  w^e  call  dis¬ 
tinctively  the  prophetic  order  seems  to  have  been 
founded  by  Samuel,  about  1100  years  B.  C.,  and  to 
have  continued  until  the  death  of  Malachi.  Their 
proper  and  professional  vocation  was  that  of  religious 
teachers.  They  were  the  preachers  of  their  age. 
On  account  of  the  theocratic  form  of  government  they 
were  also  directly  engaged  in  Avhat  may  be  called  the 
politics  of  their  nation.  Many  of  them  were  also 
sacred  poets  of  a  high  order.  Pious,  energetic,  far- 
seeing,  and  eloquent,  they  were  noble  guardians  of 
religion,  and  apt  media  for  supernatural  revelations. 

During  the  first  centuries  these  devout  heroes 
were  mainly  occu|)ied  with  the  immediate  interests 


58  THE  PllOPHETS.  [PERIOD 

of  their  people  and  made  slight  additions  to  the  canon. 
If  they  gave  Messianic  predictions,  no  record  of  them 
has  been  preserved,  excepting  the  promise  of  Nathan 
to  David. 

The  first  prophetic  books  date  from  the  reign  of 
Uzziah,  800  B.  C.  From  800  to  700  B.  C.  has  been 
well  called  the  golden  age  of  prophecy ;  the  age  of 
Joel,  Hosea,  Isaiah,  Amos,  Micah,  and  Nahum,  than 
whom  no  more  eloquent  human  teachers  have  ever 
spoken  or  written. 

In  the  Psalms  we  found  the  Messianic  predictions 
mostly  embodied  in  language  and  imagery  drawn  from 
the  experience  of  the  writer.  Henceforth  we  shall 
see  less  of  the  writer,  but  more  of  the  age  and  its 
wants.  The  Psalmist  would  be  called  in  common 
criticism  a  subjective  writer ;  the  later  prophets  more 
objective. 

Entering  upon  the  study  of  these  books  we  discov¬ 
er,  at  once,  that  the  resplendent  throne  of  David  and 
Solomon  has  begun  to  crumble.  Abuses,  corruptions, 
divisions,  and  revolutions  have  passed  like  a  wither¬ 
ing  simoom  over  the  once  fair  kingdom.  A  humiliating 
subjection  and  galling  servitude  stares  in  the  face  of 
the  theocracy,  which  seems  decadent,  fast  rushing  to 
the  abyss. 

The  declension  of  the  theocracy  is  in  itself  proof 
of  degeneracy  and  consequently  of  divine  displeas- 


THE  PROPHETS. 


59 


m.] 

ure.  A  prominent  task  of  the  prophets  is  to  reprove, 
warn,  and  threaten  the  nation  for  its  sins.  They 
portray,  in  darkest  colors,  the  coming  judgments. 
Yet  ever  the  thunder-cloud  is  bordered  with  light. 
Mercy-drops  mingle  with  the  hail  of  wrath.  Over 
the  din  of  doom  rise  ever  and  anon  some  sweet  notes 
of  the  eternal  harmony  and  love.  They  who  tell  of 
direst  judgment  tell  also  of  the  divine  Redeemer. 
Standing  above  the  ruins  of  throne  and  temple 
the  prophet  points  his  nation  forward  to  Him  who 
w^ould  be  greater  than  Solomon,  greater  than  the 
temple,  and  whose  priesthood  and  dominion  w^ould  be 
eternal. 

The  prophecies  of  this  period,  in  connection  with 
the  judgments  sent  upon  the  theocracy,  w^ere  de¬ 
signed  to  turn  the  people,  first  from  idolatry  and  then 
from  despondency,  to  the  exercise  of  a  purer  faith  in 
God  and  his  promised  Son.  The  several  predictions 
receive  their  coloring  and  specific  forms  from  this 
general  aim,  modified  in  each  case  by  the  peculiar 
circumstances  of  those  to  whom  the  prophecy  was 
first  given.  Parts  of  the  same  prophecy  differ  in 
some  cases  according  as  the  prophet  has  more  or  less 
regard  to  the  state  of  affairs  among  his  people.  Thus 
the  second  part  of  Isaiah,  being  a  revelation  of  the 
Messiah’s  character  and  work  designed  rather  for  the 
study  of  all  ages  than  for  the  people  and  the  times 
of  the  prophet,  differs  materially  from  the  first  part 
which  was  designed  particularly  for  the  age  preceding 
the  captivity  and  restoration. 


*60 


THE  PROPHETS. 


[PERIOD 


As  we  have  already  attained  a  quite  definite  out¬ 
line  of  the  person  and  work  of  Messiah,  we  shall  not 
find  hereafter  that  progressive  development  which  has 
characterized  preceding  predictions.  What  is  now 
needed  seems  to  be  to  fill  up  this  outline,  and  by 
^‘line  upon  line”  keep  it  before  the  world  until  it 
shall  take  full  possession  of  the  theocratic  people  and 
awaken  an  irrepressible  desire  and  expectation  of  the 
advent  of  the  God-man.  The  unity  of  the  several 
predictions  must  be  sought  mainly  in  their  common 
aim,  to  prepare  for  the  advent^  and  in  the  history  of 
the  Hebrew  people  which  we  cannot  now  follow  in 
detail. 

On  this  account  the  predictions  as  here  presented 
must  appear  somewhat  fragmentary  and  disconnected. 
The  reader  will  keep  in  mind  that  we  are  passing  in 
a  few  pages  over  the  history  of  ages,  and  that  too  of 
remote  ages  chronicled  only  by  this  brief  Hebrew 
Book.  If  in  these  dim  periods  we  can  find  here  and 
there  a  footprint  of  Emmanuel  we  should  be ‘satisfied. 
The  unity  of  these  predictions  is  the  unity  of  a 
star  which  rises  and  sets  and  rises  again,  and  shines 
now  clearlv,  then  dimly,  and  then  as^ain  is  hidden  by 
clouds.  No  fault  of  the  star  that  we  cannot  always 
see  it ;  fixed  up  there  in  its  brightness  it  shines  for¬ 
ever  ;  we,  in  our  darkness  and  revolutions,  see  it  but 
seldom.  But  if  this  Star  of  Jacob  goes  not  out,  but 
shines  on  through  succeeding  centuries,  on  through 
unknown  eternities,  we  may  follow  in  confidence 


61 


ril.]  JOEL. 

assured  that  it  shines  with  no  borrowed  lustre.  The 
periods  of  eclipse  and  clouds  are  no  more  than  man 
needs  to  give  virtue  to  his  faith.  *  Were  Christ  always 
in  full  view,  the  miracle  of  his  revelation  would  seem 
to  cease,  and  faith  would  die. 

JOEL. 

[Joel  2;  28—32.] 

The  chronology  of  the  minor  prophets  is  uncer¬ 
tain,  except  when  indicated  by  their  Avritings.  The 
golden  era  of  prophecy,  of  Avhich  Ave  noAv  treat, 
called  also  the  Assyrian  period,  was  probably  heralded 
in  by  the  dark,  majestic  strains  of  Joel.  He  comes 
like  the  leader  of  God’s  great  army,  full  of  bodeful 
cries  and  omens  of  ill.  God  will  terribly  punish  his 
rebellious  people.  But  upon  their  repentance  he  Avill 
also  stay  his  judgments,  scatter  their  enemies,  and 
send  them  the  former  and  the  latter  rain,  fill  their 
floors  with  wheat  and  their  vats  with  wine  and  oil. 

From  this  breath  of  promise  the  Spirit  lifts  up 
the  gloomy  bard  to  utter  a  promise  of  the  greater, 
spiritual  rain  of  the  last  times.  And  it  shall  come 
to  pass  afterAvard  that  I  will  pour  out  my  spirit  upon 
all  flesh :  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall 
prophecy,  your  old  men  shall  dream  dreams,  your 
young  men  shall  see  visions.  And  also  upon  the  ser¬ 
vants  and  upon  the  handmaids  in  those  days  will  I 
pour  out  my  spirit.” 

The  above  must  be  regarded  as  a  prediction  of 

6 


62  JOEL.  [period 

some  signal  development  of  the  prophetic  spirit, 
linked,  as  the  following  passage  shows,  to  some  great 
crisis  in  the  world’s  history.  And  I  will  show 
wonders  in  the  heavens  and  in  the  earth,  blood  and 
fire  and  pillars  of  smoke.  The  sun  shall  be  turned 
into  darkness  and  the  moon  into  blood,  before  the 
great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord  come.” 

The  Spirit  w’as  given  largely  in  the  age  of  Joel, 
but  nothing  like  a  fulfilment  of  this  promise  occurred 
until  the  Pentecostal  revival,  where  Peter  saw  the 
beginning  of  its  fulfilment,  when  the  cloven  tongues 
began  to  vibrate  amongst  ‘‘Parthians,  Medes,  and 
Elamites,  and  the  dwellers  in  Mesopotamia,  Judea, 
Cappadocia,  Pontus,  Asia,  Phrygia,  Egypt,  Lybia, 
and  Gyrene,  and  strangers  of  Rome,  Jews  and  pros¬ 
elytes,  Cretes  and  Arabians.”  Acts  2:  1 — 21. 

We  have  then,  in  Joel,  no  direct  prediction  of 
Messiah,  but,  according  to  Peter,  a  striking  picture 
of  his  times ;  a  picture  partially  fulfilled  in  the  days 
of  Peter,  partly  since  his  day,  and  partly  to  be  yet 
fulfilled. 

The  sympathy  of  nature  with  God’s  great  spirit¬ 
ual  movements  received  a  partial  exemplification  at 
the  time  of  the  crucifixion  and  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  when  ‘‘blood  and  fire  and  pillars  of 
smoke  ”  seemed  to  hang  in  the  angry  heavens.  But 
a  more  complete  fulfilment  may  be  expected  ere  the 
“new’  heavens  and  earth”  appear. 

The  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  “  servants  and 


III.] 


nOSEA. 


63 


.handmaids’’  strikingly  intimates  the  leveling  influ¬ 
ence  of  Christianity  which  makes  no  distinction  of 

% 

high  or  low,  bond  or  free.  And  such  a  dispensation 
of  the  Spirit  is  ever  regarded  as  a  characteristic  of 
the  last  times.  Thus  the  first  seer,  who  warned  his 
people  of  the  judgments  which  were  rising  in  the  far 
horizon,  caught  also  a  glimpse  of  that  sun  of  mercy 
that  should  rise  behind  the  storm. 

HOSEA. 

[Hosea2:  16 — 26;  8:  5;  11:  1. 

Cotemporary  with  Joel  and  of  kindred  spirit  and 
aim  is  the  earnest  Hosea.  The  fire  that  burns  in  his 
bosom  is  kindled  by  the  contemplation  of  Israel’s 
backsliding  and  the  judgments  that  must  soon  come 
upon  his  people.  Language  fails  to  express  the  deep 
emotions  that  swell  within  him.  Choked  with  the 
laboring  thought,  he  is  directed  to  w^ork  out  in  start- ' 
ling  symbols  the  great  argument  of  Israel’s  ingrati¬ 
tude  and  shame*  But  with  his  expostulations, 
warnings,  and  denunciations  he  is  like  Joel,  permit¬ 
ted  to  mingle  some  sweet  anticipations  of  a  better 
day.  His  vision  of  the .  latter  day  is  obscure  and 
general.  But  some  bright  strokes  assure  us  that  in 
the  promise  of  a  return  to  David,  or  David’s  Son, 
and  hence  to  Jehovah,  and  of  the  peculiar  blessings 
which  should  ensue,  he  also  sees,  ‘‘though  not  nigh,” 
the  Star  of  Jacob.  A  time  is  coming  when  restored 
Israel  shall  “sing  as  in  the  days  of  her  youth.” 


64  HOSEA.  [period 

‘‘  And  in  that  day  I  will  make  a  covenant  for  them 

with  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and  with  the  fowls  of 

* 

heaven,  and  with  the  creeping  things  of  the  ground; 
and  I  will  break  the  bow  and  the  sword  and  the 
battle  out  of  the  earth,  and  I  will  make  them  to  lie 
down  in  safety.  And  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me 
forever.”  These  verses  savor  of  millennial  peace  and 
prosperity,  and  evidently  point  to  a  day  yet  future. 
“  And  I  will  have  mercy  upon  her  that  had  not 
obtained  mercy ;  and  I  will  say  to  them  which  were 
not  my  people.  Thou  art  my  people  :  and  they  shall 
say  thou  art  my  God.”  Here  Paul  finds  a  prediction 
of  the  Catholic  spirit  of  Christianity  which  gathers 
out  of  all  lands  and  nations  members  of  the  true  fold 
of  God.  Rom.  9 ;  25,  26. 

Afterward  shall  the  children  of  Israel  return 
and  seek  the  Lord  their  God  and  David  their  king.” 
Here,  as  often  afterward,  ^‘David’s  greater  Son”  is 
called  by  his  own  name.  When  error  and  punish¬ 
ment  are  past  and  the  children  of  Israel  return  to 
God,  the  promised  ‘^Seed”  shall  sway  over  them  his 
peaceful  sceptre. 

Matthew  2:  15,  finds  in  Hosea  a  prediction  of 
the  return  of  Jesus  with  Joseph  and  Mary  from 
Egypt.  ^AVhen  Israel  was  a  child,  then  I  loved 
him,  and  called  my  son  out  of  Egypt,”  ch.  11:  1. 
Israel  and  Moses,  from  whose  history  this  figure  is 
borrowed,  being  types  of  Christ,  the  spiritual  Israel 
and  second  Moses,  their  call  from  Egypt  becomes 


III.] 


AMOS. 


65 


a  prediction  of  the  “young  child’s'’  flight  and 
return. 

AMOS. 

Stern,  strong,  and  terrible  the  Herdsman  of 
Tekoah  lifts  up  his  voice,  and  a  vial  of  divine  wrath 
is  poured  through  him  upon  the  sinful  nations. 
This  done,  he  retires  again  to  his  flocks,  unheard  of 
more. 

[Amos  9 :  8 — 15.] 

As  he  departs,  the  spirit  of  WTath  grows  calm,  and 
his  message  ends  with  a  soft  gush  of  light,  that  falls 
upon  us  like  a  golden  sunset  after  a  day  of  storm. 

In  this  close,  so  full  of  promise  and  hope,  the 
question  is  answered,  “by  whom  shall  Jacob  arise?” 
After  the  sifting  of  the  house  of  Israel,  and  the  death 
of  “all  the  sinners”  among  God’s  people,  the  Lord 
says,  “  In  that  day  I  will  raise  up  the  tabernacle  of 
David  that  is  fallen,  and  close  up  the  breaches  there¬ 
of  ;  and  I  will  raise  up  his  ruins ;  and  I  will  build  it 
as  in  the  days  of  old :  that  they  may  possess  the 
remnant  of  Edom,  and  of  all  the  heathen  which  are 
called  by  my  name.”  From  the  fallen  house  of 
David  shall  arise  one  who  shall  restore  the  theocracy 
to  its  pristine  glory  and  extend  his  dominion  and 
blessings  over  the  heathen.  The  consonance  of  this 
passage  with  the  common  representations  of  Messiah’s 
reign  is  evident.  And  we  know  that  the  extension 

0* 


i 


66  MicAn.  [period 

of  theocratic  privileges  to  the  heathen  was  not  con¬ 
templated,  much  less  realized,  by  any  of  David’s  line 
preceding  Christ.  James,  Acts  15 :  16,  17,  sees  this 
extension  begun  in  the  conversion  of  Gentiles  as  well 
as  Jews  to  Christ.  The  Son  of  David  is  even  now 
fast  extending  his  dominion  over  the  heathen  who  are 
learning  to  be  called  by  his  name. 

With  these  three  prophets  began  the  era  now 
under  consideration.  Their  messages  are  brief  but 
startling.  After  an  age  of  dulness  and  silence  their 
words  broke  like  the  first  peals  of  a  thunder-storm 
upon  their  godless  countrymen.  And  still  heavier 
and  more  protracted  warnings  and  admonitions  fol¬ 
lowed.  Scarce  had  they  ceased  to  prophecy,  when 
the  sublime  Isaiah  arose,  the  sun  *of  his  era,  around 
whom  other  prophets  shine  but  as  satellites  around  a 
primary.  Micah  also,  one  of  the  lesser  lights  in  this 
grand  constellation,  now  rises  into  view,  fiinging  upon 
us  some  rays  from  the  sun  of  righteousness. 

MICAH. 

[Micah  4:  1 — 4.] 

After  predicting  the  judgments  of  God  against 
Israel  and  Judah  on  account  of  their  sins,  assuring 
them  that  Zion  should  be  ploughed  as  a  field  and 
Jerusalem  become  heaps,  Micah  suddenly  drops  the 
dark  tale  of  gathering  judgments,  and  opens  his 
fourth  chapter  with  a  glowing,  poetical  prediction  of 
the  final  glorious  reign  of  Christ. 


III.] 


MICAH. 


67 


After  the  desolation  shall  come  a  period  of  more 
than  ancient  splendor  for  Zion. 

Zion  shall  be  ploughed  as  a  field ;  But  in  the 
last  days  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  the  mountain  of 
the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  be  established  in  the  tops 
of  the  mountains,  and  it  shall  be  exalted  above  the 
hills ;  and  the  people  shall  fiow  unto  it.  And  many 
nations  shall  come  and  saj^,  Come,  let  us  go  up  to  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord,  and  to  the  house  of  the  God 
of  Jacob ;  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his  ways,  and  we 
will  walk  in  his  paths  :  for  the  law  shall  go  forth  of 
Zion,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem.  And 
he  shall  judge  among  many  people,  and  rebuke  strong 
nations  afar  off ;  and  they  shall  beat  their  swords  into 
plough-shares,  and  their  spears  into  pruning-hooks : 
nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither 
shall  they  learn  war  any  more.  But  they  shall  sit 
every  man  under  his  vine  and  under  his  fig-tree ;  and 
none  shall  make  them  afraid :  for  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts  hath  spoken  it.” 

In  this  charming  ode  the  prophet  over-leaps  the 
period  of  growth  and  development  and  gives  us  a 
sunny  picture  of  the  ‘^last  days  ”  when  the  kingdom 
of  the  Prince  of  Peace  shall  have  reached  its  cul¬ 
mination.  Universal  peace '  and  the  extension  of 
*  righteousness  over  all  nations  are  the  prominent 
characteristics  of  that  golden  age  to  which  he  points. 
Evidently  no  realization  of  this  prediction  is  found  in 
Hebrew  history,  nor  as  yet  in  any  history.  The 


MICAII. 


[period 


spirit  of  the  passage  is  wholly  Messianic  and  Millen¬ 
nial.  Yet  it  is  now  realized  in  part,  so  far  as  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  is  developed  in  the  life  of  men. 


[Micah  5:  2.] 

In  chapter  fifth  the  prophet  in  his  rapt  discourse 
turns  suddenly  to  the  little  town  of  Bethlehem,  and 
with  surprising  minuteness  foretells  the  birth-place  of 
Him  who  should  exalt  Zion  and  extend  his  peaceful 
reign  over  the  world. 

The  enemy  may  gather  in  troops  resolved  to  smite 
the  Judge  of  Israel ;  ‘‘  But  thou,  Bethlehem  Ephra- 
tah,  though  thou  be  little  among  the  thousands  of 
Judah,  yet  out  of  thee  shall  he  come  forth  unto  me 
that  is  to  be  ruler  in  Israel ;  whose  goings  forth  have 
been  from  of  old,  from  everlasting ''  (or  from  the 
days  of  eternity).  Yet  Israel  shall  be  given  up  to 
her  enemies,  “  until  the  time  that  she  which  travail- 
eth  hath  brought  forth.”  Until  the  ^‘woman’s  seed” 
arise  to  triumph  over  the  enemy. 

Former  prophets  gave  us  intimations  of  the  tribe 
and  family  from  which  the  promised  Prince  should 
come.  Here  we  are  assured  that  the  native  town  of 
David,  his  type  in  the  regal  oflSce,  shall  be  the  favored 
place  of  the  advent.  The  God-man  will,  in  little 
Ephratah  or  Judea-Bethlehem,  make  his  first  appear¬ 
ance  in  our  world. 

The  mind  at  once  adverts  to  the  answer  given  by 
the  Hebrew  scribes  and  priests  to  Herod  when  he 


III.]  MICAII.  69 

inquired,  where  Christ  should  be  born.  In  Bethle¬ 
hem  of  Judea,”  was  the  prompt  reply,  citing  Micah 
for  proof.  This  reply,  endorsed  by  the  evangelist  as 
a  true  interpretation  of  this  prediction,  shows  what 
tradition  also  asserts,  that  the  ancient  Jews  always 
expected  Messiah  to  arise  out  of  Bethlehem.  Hence 
the  Jewish  fiction  that  Messiah  was  born  at  Bethle- 
hem  on  the  day  of  the  final  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
and  conveyed  away  into  some  obscure  place  to  await 
a  suitable  time  for  his  manifestation. 

Time  shamed  them  out  of  the  fiction,  but  the 
prediction  of  Micah  still  stood,  and  the  next  resort 
was  to  explain  away  the  passage,  or  deny  its  Mes¬ 
sianic  reference.  Many  forced  and  absurd  interpre¬ 
tations  have  been  proposed  by  skeptics  in  order  to 
avoid  the  plain  truth  that  here  was  a  prediction  of 
the  birth-place  of  Jesus  the  son  of  Mary. 

In  striking  contrast  with  the  humble  birth-place 
of  this  ruler  is  the  announcement  of  his  eternal 
pre-existence. 

This  too  has  been  an  eye-sore  to  deniers.  To 
express  as  strongly  as  possible  the  eternal  being  of 
the  Ruler,  the  prophet  declares  with  a  climax  that  his 
goings  forth  have  been  ‘^from  the  days  of  eternity,” 
a  phrase  meaning  unlimited  duration.  This  assertion 
of  his  pre-existence  stands  also  in  contrast  with  his 
birth  in  time,  incarnation. 

The  devices  by  which  those,  who  held  to  a  carnal 
Messiahship,  have  sought  to  evade  this  interpretation, 


70  ISAIAH.  [PERIOD 

declaring  that  only  the  decree  of  God  relative  to  him 
was  from  the  days  of  eternity,  or  that  “  ancient 
times’"  satisfies  the  text,  are  sufficiently  refuted  by 
the  meaning  of  the  word  eternity,  by  the  climacteric 
form  of  the  expression,  the  contrast  indicated  between 
this  assertion  and  that  relating  to  his  appearance  in 
Bethlehem,  and  the  utter  want  of  force  and  signifi¬ 
cance  in  the  passage,  if  eternal  pre-existence  be  not 
attributed  to  this  Ruler.  Certainly  the  prophet  could 
not  have  better  expressed  the  doctrine  of  pre-exist¬ 
ence  than  he  has  done  in  these  words. 

To  this  it  may  be  subjoined  that  one  came  forth 
in  due  time  from  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  and  estab¬ 
lished  a  spiritual  kingdom,  which  is  rapidly  extending 
over  the  true  Israel,  and  seems  destined  to  realize 
the  prophet’s  first  golden  vision. 

ISAIAH. 

Isaiah,  the  central  sun  of  all  prophecy,  around 
whom  the  lesser  stars  revolved,  gives  character  and 
limit  to  this  golden  age. 

Rightly  named  the  evangelist  of  the  Old  Testa¬ 
ment,  no  other  prophet  approaches  Isaiah  in  the 
extent  and  richness  of  his  Messianic  predictions. 
Particularly  in  the  latter  part  of  his  book  he  rises 
above  the  sad  and  discouraging  scenes  about  him, 
soars  afar  into  the  distant  ages,  and  lives  in  the  con¬ 
templation  of  that  sublimer  period  to  which  all 
prophecy  and  all  history  point. 


/ 


s 

III.]  ISAIAH.  71 

As  in  the  Psalms,  we  find  the  Messiah  here  set 
forth  in  two  distinct  characters.  In  the  first  thirty- 
nine,  and  in  the  fifty-fifth  and  fifty-ninth  chapters, 
he  is  described  as  the  glorious  restorer  of  Israel  and 
ruler  of  the  world.  In  the  other  chapters  he  appears 
as  a  prophet-priest,  richly  endowed  with  all  excellen¬ 
cies,  yet  humbling  himself  as  a  man  of  sorrows  in 
order  to  redeem  the  degraded  and  cursed  race  of 
men,  and  impart  to  them  salvation.  Here  it  grows 
clear  that  the  purpose  of  Emmanuel’s  subjection  and 
suffering  is  to  work  out  an  atonement. 

In  studying  this  prophet  we  should  keep  in  mind 
that  he  wrote  in  the  period  of  Assyrian  oppression, 
and  with  special  reference  to  the  degeneracy  and 
wickedness  of  his  age,  and  to  the  overwhelming  chas¬ 
tisements  about  to  be  inflicted.  From  Assyrian  and 
Chaldean  bondage  he  glanced  ever  and  anon  forward 
to  the  great  Deliverer  and  his  reign  of  righteousness. 
Striding  forward  to  the  times  of  the  captivity,  he  fre¬ 
quently  took  his  stand  midway  in  the  future,  and 
thence  prophesied  backward  and  forward,  as  if  he 
were  living  a  century  or  two  after  he  had  been  sawn 
asunder. 

[Isaiaii  2:  2—4.] 

The  first  Messianic  passage  in  Isaiah  is  a  copy, 
possibly  the  original,  of  that  mild,  autumnal  picture 
of  millennial  days  already  exhibited  by  Micah. 
Whether  Isaiah  quotes  from  Micah,  or  the  latter  from 


72  ISAIAH.  [period 

the  former,  must  remain  uncertain.  As  they  were 
probably  cotemporaries  it  matters  not  who  first 
recorded  the  vision  vouchsafed  to  both.  Nor  is  it 
anything  against  the  prediction  that  the  later  writer 
depicts  it  in  the  express  words  of  the  earlier.  Other 
instances  might  be  found  where  one  prophet  utters  his 
vision  in  the  language  of  a  predecessor. 

It  shows  us  how  full  the  prophetic  mind  was  of 
the  latter-day  glory  when  different  voices  join  to  sing 
of  the  exaltation  of  Zion  above  the  hills,  and  the 
flowing  of  many  nations  unto  the  mountain  of  the 
Lord,  and  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  of  that 
age  of  peace  when  swords  shall  be  beaten  into  plow¬ 
shares  and  spears  into  pruning-hooks. 

[Ch.  4:2.] 

From  this  vision  of  future  blessedness  the  prophet 
turns  again  to  expostulate  with  the  house  of  Jacob  and 
warn  them  of  coming  judgments.  Between  him  and 
the  days  of  prosperity  lie  days  of  darkness  and 
mourning.  But  light  shall  follow  the  darkness.  In 
that  day  of  humiliation  and  shame,  The  branch  of 
the  Lord  shall  be  beautiful  and  glorious,  and  the  fruit 
of  the  earth  shall  be  excellent  and  comely  for  them 
that  are  escaped  of  Israel.” 

Who  or  what  is  this  beautiful  branch  of  the  Lord, 
and  excellent  fruit  of  the  earth  ?  Evidently  not  the 
people  themselves,  for  it  is  to  be  beautiful  and  excel¬ 
lent  for  them  that  escape  the  judgments. 


m.] 


TSAIAII. 


73 


Branch  or  shoot  of  David  is  often  used  for  Son 
of  David.  By  analogy  we  infer  that  branch  of  the 
Lord,  or  shoot  of  Jehovah  is  Son  of  God ;  and  hence 
we  find  here  an  intimation  of  the  divinity  of  the 
branch  ;  while  the  epithet,  fruit  of  the  earth,  seems  to 
intimate  his  humanity. 

The  import  of  the  passage  is  then,  that  after  the 
aflilictions  which  shall  come  upon  the  people  of  Judah 
and  Jerusalem,  a  remnant  shall  survive  who  shall  be 
blessed  and  glorified  by  One  who  is  at  once  divine 
and  human,  branch  of  Jehovah  and  fruit  of  earth. 


[Ch.  7 :  14.] 

Passing  on  now  to  the  reign  of  Ahaz,  and  the 
occasion  when  Rezin  the  king  of  Syria  and  Pekah 
the  king  of  Israel  went  up  toward  Jerusalem  to  war 
against  it,’’  we  find  the  prophet  exhorting  Ahaz  to 
trust  in  the  Lord,  and  for  his  encouragement  bidding 
him,  “  ask  a  sign  of  the  Lord  thy  God ;  ask  it  either 
in  the  depth  or  in  the  height  above.” 

But  Ahaz,  distrustful  and  determined  to  seek 
help  from  his  heathen  neighbors  rather  than  from  God, 
under  ahypocritical  pretence  of  unwillingness  to  tempt 
God  by  asking  a  sign,  refuses  the  prophet’s  counsel. 
Thereupon  the  latter  sternly  rejoins  that,  'whether 
Ahaz  desire  it  or  not,  The  Lord  himself  shall  give 
you  a  sign :  Behold  a  virgin  shall  conceive  and  bear 
a  son  and  shall  call  his  name  Immanuel  (God-with- 
us).  And  before  the  child  “  shall  know  to  refuse  the 

7 


74  ISAIAH.  [PERIOD 

evil  and  choose  the  good,  the  land  that  thou  abhorrest 
shall  be  forsaken  of  both  her  kings.” 

History  teaches  us  that  within  three  years,  the 
time  that  might  intervene  between  the  conception  of 
a  child  and  his  ability  to  distinguish  between  the 
good  and  the  evil,”  Rezin  and  Remaliah’s  son  were 
driven  from  their  domains.  This  was  then  a  fulfil¬ 
ment  of  the  prediction  as  Ahaz  probably  understood 
it.  The  language  of  the  prophet  may  be  rendered  in 
the  present  tense,  Behold  a  virgin  conceives  and 
bears  a  son,”  &:c.  The  vision  is  vivid  and  clear  as  if 
present  to  the  eye  of  the  prophet.  Ahaz  and  others 
of  the  time  might  so  understand  it,  and  the  event 
would  confirm  this  interpretation.  But  was  there  not 
a  deeper  significance  in  this  sign  ?  Who  was  the 
virgin,  and  who  the  child  Immanuel  ?  Certainly  the 
virgin  was  not  the  prophet’s  wife,  spoken  of  in  the 
next  chapter,  for  she  already  had  a  son  old  enough 
to  follow  the  prophet;  a  son  never  named  Immanuel. 
And  Maher-shalal-hash-baz  of  the  eighth  chapter  is 
introduced  as  a  diflferent  character  and  for  a  different 
purpose ;  verse  8  shows  that  he  is  not  Immanuel. 

We  have  already  been  pointed  to  the  woman’s 
seed.”  Micah  also  spoke  of  a  time  when  she  who 
travaileth  shall  have  brought  forth”  him  of  Bethle¬ 
hem  Ephratah.  Evidently  stress  is  laid  upon  the 
maternal  ancestry  of  the  promised  one,  contrary  to 
Hebrew,  and  all  oriental  custom.  This  prepares  us 
to  find  in  this  prediction  more  than  met  the  view  of 


ni.] 


ISAIAH. 


i  ’) 

Ahaz.  We  may  also  keep  in  mind  here  that  in  nearly 
all  ancient  nations  and  religions,  particularly  tlie 
Asiatic,  have  been  found  traces  of  a  belief  in  a  Mes¬ 
siah  who  should  be  born  of  a  virgin.  Note,  more¬ 
over,  that  the  term  virgin,  used  in  the  passage,  always 
means  young,  unmarried  women  ;  unspotted  chastity 
being  implied. 

Whom  now  shall  we  regard  as  this  virgin,  if  not 
her  who  is  spoken  of  as  the  virgin-mother  of  Jesus, 
in  whose  birth,  Matthew  tells  us,  this  prediction  was 
fulfilled?  Who  else  than  Jesus  can  be  said  to  be 
God-with-u>,  God  incarnate  ? 

And  without  the  interpretation  of  the  evangelist, 
would  it  not  begin  to  dawn  upon  us  that  Immanuel, 
as  a  new  tj^pe  of  existence,  a  union  of  the  divine  and 
human,  will  enter  our  race  by  a  supernatural  genera¬ 
tion  ? 

It  is  objected  to  this  interpretation  that  it  vir¬ 
tually  destroys  the  sign  given  to  Ahaz  and  his  people, 
implying  that  no  virgin's  child  was  born  before  the 
expulsion  of  Rezln  and  Pekali. 

To  this  it  may  be  replied  that  the  evident  design 
of  the  prophet’s  message  is  to  lead  the  people  to  trust 
in  God  for  deliverance  from  their  enemies.  The 
partial  fulfilment  afforded  Avithin  three  years  was 
enough  to  strengthen  their  faith  and  calm  their 
minds.  The  enigma  of  the  divine  generation  may 
have  been  thrown  out  for  the  study  and  confirmation 
of  later  ages. 


76  '  ISAIAH.  [PERIOD 

Those  who  deny  the  Messianic  allusion  abound  in 
conjectures  which  refer  the  passage  to  other  persons. 
But  as  each  new  theorist  eats  up  his  predecessor,  w^e 
may  safely  leave  them  to  demolish  each  other.  A 
confirmation  of  the  Messianic  interpretation  is  fgund 
in  the  ninth  chapter,  to  which  we  now  turn. 

[Ch.  9:  1—7.] 

The  region  of  Zebulun  and  Naphtali  lying  along  the 
north  and  west  of  the  sea  of  Galilee,  and  inhabited  by 
a  mixture  of  Hebrew^s  and  of  pagans,  w^as  peculiarly 
exposed  to  the  attacks  of  enemies  and  to  the  corrup¬ 
ting  influence  of  heathenism.  In  the  days  of  Christ 
we  learn  that  this  district  was  held  in  great  contempt 
by  other  parts  of  Palestine. 

Fixing  his  prophetic  eye  upon  this  region,  Isaiah 
depicts  it  in  its  worst  condition.  Seeking  ^^unto 
wizards  that  peep  and  mutter,”  ‘‘hardly  bestead  and 
hungry,”  “  they  shall  fret  themselves,  and  curse  their 
king  and  their  God,  and  look  upward,  and  look  down¬ 
ward  ;  and  behold  trouble  and  darkness  and  dimness 
of  anguish ;  and  they  shall  be  driven  to  darkness.” 

Yet  for  this  darkest  region,  in  its  darkest  hour, 
the  seer  has  a  word  of  hope  and  promise.  Throwing 
himself  into  the  future  he  now  exclaims.  This  “  peo¬ 
ple  that  walked  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light: 
they  that  dwell  in  the  land  of  the  shadow  of  death, 
upon  them  hath  the  light  shined.” 

As  of  old,  by  the  hand  of  Gideon,  God  miracu- 


III.] 


ISAIAH. 


77 


loHsly  overthrew  the  Midianites  in  these  regions,  so 
again  will  he  appear  for  their  deliverance  and  illumi¬ 
nation  ;  not  by  the  battle  of  the  warrior  with  con¬ 
fused  noise,  and  garments  rolled  in  blood,’’  hut  by  a 
divine  light  and  power.  ‘‘For  unto  us  a  child  is 
born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given,  and  the  government 
shall  be  upon  his  shoulders.”  The  region  of  dark¬ 
ness  is  then  to  be  illuminated  by  that  marvellous 
“child”  of  which  we  have  before  heard.  And 
Galilee  is  to  be  peculiarly  the  theatre  of  his  labors. 
So  much  seems  implied  here. 

We  know  well  who  in  after  times  was  called  the 
“Light  of  the  world,”  and  made  Galilee  the  field  of 
his  special  efforts.  Matt.  4 :  12 — 16.  We  remember 
Capernaum,  Bethsaida,  and  Chorazin  where  “  most 
of  his  mighty  works  were  done.”  And  although 
few  recognized  the  great  Light  in  him,  yet  here 
was  gathered  that  little  band  of  heroes,  long  con¬ 
temptuously  called  Galileans,  through  whose  min¬ 
istry  the  light  has  spread  and  is  spreading  the  earth 
around. 

The  restoration  from  captivity  may  ha>e  given  a 
partial  and  typical  fulfilment  of  this  promise ;  but  no 
adequate  fulfilment  can  be  found  elsewhere  than  in 
the  ministry  of  the  Galilean  Jesus,  the  child  of  the 
virgin.  We  find  here,  therefore,  a  specification  of 
the  particular  field  of  labor  that  shall  be  chosen  by 
Him  who,  as  we  have  before  learned,  is  to  “  come 
forth  from  Bethlehem  Ephratah,”  and  to  be  called 

7'* 


ISAIAH. 


[period 


also  out  of  Egypt.”  Thus  is  item  after  item  added 
to  the  unfolding  story. 

But  more  remarkable  than  aught  else  in  this 
passage  are  the  divine  names  and  attributes  ascribed 
to  this  royal  child. 

His  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful  (miracu¬ 
lous),  Counsellor  (wisdom),  the  mighty  God,  the 
everlasting  Father  (Father  of  eternity),  the  Prince 
of  Peace.  Of  the  increase  of  his  government  and 
peace  there  shall  be  no  end,  upon  the  throne  of 
David  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to  order  it  and  to 
establish  it  with  judgment  and  with  justice,  from 
henceforth  even  forever.  The  zeal  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts  will  perform  this.” 

The  custom  of  ascribing  divine  attributes  to 
merely  human  rulers  was  a  heathen  custom  ever 
abhorrent  to  the  theocratic  people.  Such  an  appli¬ 
cation  of  divine  titles  by  a  Hebrew  prophet  whose 
special  calling  and  aim  was  to  exalt  God  and  humble 
man,  would  have  been  monstrous.  Hence  the  ab¬ 
surdity  of  referring  this  passage  to  Hezekiah,  or  any 
other  mere  man,  as  some  have  done.  Part  of  these 
titles  might  indeed,  if  standing  alone,  be  applied  to  a 
mortal,  but  nothing  less  than  blasphemy  would  ascribe 
such  terms  as  ^^Everlasting  Father,”  or  Father  of 
eternity,  which  must  imply  a  divine  attribute,  to  any 
one  who  was  not  indeed  God.  Moreover,  Hezekiah, 
to  whom  many  skeptics  would  refer  the  passage,  was 
at  this  time  a  mere  child  in  most  unpromising  circum- 


ISAIAH. 


79 


iir.] 

stances,  and  he  never  exercised  any  dominion  or 
decided  influence  over  Galilee,  where  this  great  Light 
was  pre-eminently  to  shine. 

The  proposition  to  interpret  these  divine  titles  as 
belonging  to  the  one  who  gives  the  government, 
rather  than  to  the  one  who  receives  it,  is  evidently  a 
mere  device  to  wrest  the  passage  from  Christ ;  a 
device  contradicted  both  by  the  plain  reading  of  the 
text,  and  the  mention  of  so  many  divine  titles ;  an 
absurd  enumeration,  if  the  design  were  not  to  apply 
them  to  the  regal  child. 

It  is  no  objection  to  Messianic  interpretation  that 
political  blessings  seem  to  be  promised.  The  pro¬ 
phets  constantly  represent  the  reign  of  Messiah  as 
bringing  both  temporal  and  spiritual  mercies  to  the 
theocratic  people. 

[Ch.  11 :  1—10.] 

The  Assyrian  king,  as  a  sword  in  the  hand  of 
God,  should  perform  Jehovah’s  work  upon  Mount 
Zion  and  Jerusalem,  taking  the  spoil  and  prey,  and 
treading  down  the  people  of  Jehovah’s  wrath  like 
mire  in  the  streets,  until  the  time  for  punishing  the 
fruit  of  his  stout  heart  should  come.  But  let  it  not 
be  surmised  that  Israel  shall  be  utterly  cut  off*.  This 
plant  of  centuries  must  live  till  it  brings  forth  its 
Christ.  The  remnant  of  Jacob  shall  return  unto  the 
mighty  God. 

The  house  of  David,  also,  though  prostrate  as  a 


80  ISAIAH.  [period 

fallen  tree,  shall  not  wholly  die.  From  the  root  of 
the  prostrate  stalk  shall  spring  up  a  shoot  to  bless 
the  world  and  introduce  the  age  of  peace. 

And  there  shall  come  forth  a  rod  out  of  the  stem 
of  Jesse,  and  a  branch  shall  grow  out  of  his  roots ; 
and  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  him,  the 
spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the  spirit  of 
counsel  and  might,  the  spirit  of  knowledge  and  of  the 
fear  of  the  Lord ;  and  shall  make  him  of  quick  under¬ 
standing  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord :  and  he  shall  not 
judge  after  the  sight  of  his  eyes,  neither  reprove 
after  the  hearing  of  his  ears :  but  with  righteousness 
shall  he  judge  the  poor,  and  reprove  (decide,  allot) 
with  equity  for  the  meek  of  the  earth :  and  he  shall 
smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  his  mouth,  and  with 
the  breath  of  his  lips  shall  he  slay  the  wicked.  And 
righteousness  shall  be  the  girdle  of  his  loins,  and 
faithfulness  the  girdle  of  his  reins.’' 

Here  the  prophet  evidently,  by  a  single  leap, 
passes  from  the  restoration  of. the  remnant  of  Jacob 
to  Palestine,  on  to  the  advent  of  that  branch  of  Jesse 
whose  kingdom  was  of  the  truth,  who  spake  as  never 
man  spake,  and  who  commenced  his  sublime  dis¬ 
courses  with  beatitudes  for  the  poor  in  spirit  and  the 
meek,  to  whom  he  promised  the  inheritance  of 'earth 
and  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Having  thus  described  the  character  and  policy 
of  this  righteous  branch,  he  again  passes  in  silence 
the  long  period  lying  between  the  commencement  aj»4 


III.] 


ISAIAH. 


81 


the  completion  of  the  Messiah’s  work,  and  presents 
to  us  a  brief  picture  of  his  reign  of  peace  after  all 
things  have  become  subject  to  his  dominion. 

The  wolf  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the 
leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid ;  and  the  calf  and 
the  young  lion  and  the  fatling  together ;  and  a  little 
child  shall  lead  them.  And  the  cow  and  the  bear 
shall  feed ;  their  young  ones  shall  lie  down  together : 
and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox.  '  And  the 
sucking  child  shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  asp,  and  the 
weaned  child  shall  put  his  hand  on  the  cockatrice’s 
(adder’s)  den.  They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all 
my  holy  mountain  :  for  the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea. 

Here  we  have  in  highly  poetical  figures  another 
prediction  of  that  millennial  era,  that  coming  age  of 
gold,  in  which  the  nations  have  ever  believed,  and  for 
which  they  long.  An  age  that  now’  begins  to  be 
realized  so  far,  and  only  so  far, ^ as  the  rude  nations 
catch  the  spirit  of  the  Prince  of  Peace,  and  are 
grafted  into  the  branch  of  Jesse.'  An  ^age  that 
dawns  and  rises  slow  ly  upon  our  wmrld  ;  but  for  w’hich 
the  world  can  wait  in  confident  expectation. 

After  this  glance  into  the  far,  bright  depth  of 
futurity,  the  prophet  again  falls  back  to  the  earlier 
history  of  Messiah’s  reign  and  tells  us  of  the  gather¬ 
ing  of  his  kingdom. 

‘‘In  that  djiy  there  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  wLich 


82 


ISAIAH. 


[PERIOD 


shall  stand  for  an  ensign  of  the  people ;  to  it  shall 
the  Gentiles  seek :  and  his  rest  shall  be  glorious  (or, 
his  dwelling,  abode,  shall  be  glory).” 

The  concordance  of  these  passages,  with  other 
Messianic  and  millennial  passages,  is  obvious. 

That  this  branch  could  not  be  Hezekiah,  as  some 
have  conjectured,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  he  was 
already  several  years  old,  and  that  his  reign  never 
gave  promise  of  any  such  extraordinary  blessings  as 
are  here  predicted.  Moreover,  the  house  of  Jesse' or 
David  had  not  yet  fallen,  and  hence  there  could  be 
no  propriety  in  the  figure  of  a  branch,  springing  from 
its  roots.  Neither  had  there  been  a  dispersion  of  the 
people  in  the  days  of  Hezekiah  from  which  a  restora-  - 
tion  need  be  promised. 

Paul  tells  us  in  Rom.  15:  8 — 12,  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the 
truth  of  God,  to  confirm  the  promise  made  unto  the 
fathers ;  ”  that  There  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  and 
he  shall  rise  to  reign  over  the  Gentiles;”  quoting 
from  Isaiah,  as  above,  to  prove  that  the  Gentiles  are 
called  to  share  in  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel.  And 
the  Revelator  is  told  that,  ‘‘  The  Lion  of  the  tribe  of 
Juda,  the  root  of  David,  hath  prevailed  to  open  the 
book,”  Rev.  5:  5.  And  again.  Rev.  22:  16,  ‘‘I 
Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  unto  you  these 
things  in  the  churches.  I  am  the  root  and  offspring 
of  David.” 


83 


III.]  ISAIAH. 

[Ch.  32:  1,  2,  and  15—20.] 

Behold,  a  king  shall  reign  in  righteousness,  and 
princes  shall  rule  in  judgment.  And  a  man  shall  be 
as  a  hiding-place  from  the  wind,  and  a  covert  from 
the  tempest ;  as  rivers  of  water  in  a  dry  place ;  as 
the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land.” 

There  may  be  here,  as  probably  in  some  other 
places,  reference  first  to  Hezekiah  and  his  reign,  as 
types  of  Christ  and  his  dispensation.  But  the  ex¬ 
alted  energy  and  tender  beauty  of  the  passage  carries 
us  above  and  beyond  any  merely  human  ruler.  He 
who  shall  reign  in  righteousness,  and  be  our  shelter 
from  storm  and  tempest,  be  living  waters  in  a  parched 
land,  and  a  rock  in  whose  shadow  the  fainting  travel¬ 
ler  may  recline,  can  be  none  other  than  the  anointed 
branch  of  Jesse,  the  friend  of  the  heavy-laden  and 
weary,  the  rock  of  ages  and  the  fountain  of  living 
water. 

Verses  15 — 20  give  us  another  picture  of  the 
dispensation  of  the  Spirit  and  the  final  reign  of  peace, 
worthy  to  be  set  by  the  side  of  former  millennial 
pieces.  Desolation  shall  be  upon  the  land  of  the 
degenerate  people,  ‘‘  Until  the  Spirit  is  poured  upon 
us  from  on  high,  and  the  wilderness  be  a  fruitful  field 
— and  the  work  of  righteousness  shall  be  peace ;  and 
the  elfect  of  righteousness,  quietness,  and  assurance 
forever.  And  my  people  shall  dwell  in  a  peaceable 
habitation,  and  in  sure  dwellings,  and  in  quiet  resting 
places.  .  .  Blessed  are  ye  that  sow  beside  all  waters.” 


84  ISAIAH.  [PERIOD 

With  this  promise  of  the  Spirit,  and  this  sweet 
benediction,  we  leave  the  first  division  of  Isaiah. 

We  have  thus  far  found  occasional  gleams  of 
light  flashing  down  to  cheer  an  age  of  turmoil  and 
fear  and  darkness.  These  predictions  are,  however, 
but  pledges  of  what  this  great  prophet  was  com¬ 
missioned  to  reveal.  He  here  spake  particularly  for 
his  age. 

In  the  second  part  of  his  book  we  shall  find  him 
writing  more  like  one  who  has  escaped  from  the  dust 
and  strife  of  his  age,  and  is  permitted  to  live  in  dis¬ 
tant  centuries ;  wfith  an  eye  to  see,  a  heart  to  feel, 
and  a  voice  to  utter  for  everlasting  time  the  moving 
story  of  a  suffering  Redeemer. 

SECOND  PART  OF  ISAIAH. 

This  nobler  part  of  Isaiah’s  noble  book  was  prob¬ 
ably  written  fifteen  or  twenty  years  after  the  first 
part.  In  the  evening  of  his  stormy  life  he  seems  to 
have  withdrawn  his  mind  somewhat  from  the  sadden¬ 
ing  scenes  about  him,  and  to  have  dwelt  more  in  the 
contemplation  of  the  greater  and  more  glorious  events 
of  the  future. 

Date  and  sequence  of  time  are  not  much  regarded 
in  these  prophecies.  The  writer  at  times  seems  to 
speak  from  his  own  age,  then  from  the  age  of  the 
captivity,  seating  himself  in  vision  beside  the  exiles, 
and  while  their  harps  hang  upon  the  willows,  seizing 
his  and  pouring  forth  his  moving  strains.  Then 


TIT.] 


ISAIAH. 


85 


again  he  seems  to  run  forward  and  act  a  part  in  the 
tragical  scenes  connected  with  the  ministry  and  mar¬ 
tyrdom  of  Christ. 

The  last  twenty-six  chapters  contain  in  substance 
the  sublimest  drama  of  all  history.  Isaiah  alone  of 
the  prophets  seems  to  have  seen  in  one  great  picture 
the  whole  process  of  redemption.  No  other  had  such 
complete  vision  of  the  Man  of  Sorrows,  and  the 
import  of  his  work.  His  accurate  description  of  a 
suffering  Saviour  may  be  regarded  as  the  main  pecu¬ 
liarity  of  this  second  part  of  his  work,  and  that  w^hich 
has  brought  upon  him  the  persecution  of  modern 
scepticism. 

Says  Professor  Stuart,  It  is  only  when  chapters 
40 — 66  are  received  in  the  light  of  a  great  Messianic 
development — a  series  of  predictions  respecting  the 
person,  the  work,  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ — that 

b 

the  earnestness,  the  protracted  length,  the  fulness, 
the  deep  feeling,  the  holy  enthusiasm,  the  glowing 
metaphors  and  similes,  and  the  rich  and  varied  exhi¬ 
bitions  of  peace  and  prosperity  can  well  be  accounted 
for.  The  writer,  in  taking  such  a  stand-point,  uses 
the  exile  and  the  return  from  it  as  the  basis  of  his 
comparisons  and  analogies.  It  was  a  rich  and  deeply 
interesting  source  from  which  he  might  draw  them. 
Any  other  solution  of  the  whole  phenomena  is,  to  my 
mind  at  least,  meager  and  unsatisfactory.” 

Our  notices  of  specific  passages  must  be  brief  on 
account  of  their  number  and  extent.  This  is,  how- 

8 


86 


ISAIAH. 


[period 


ever,  less  to  be  regretted,  since  the  predictions  have 
received  such  a  marked  fulfilment  in  the  person  and 
work  of  Christ,  that  no  other  commentary  than  the 
Gospels  seems  needed.  It  is  also  noteworthy  that  the 
same  person  is  evidently  spoken  of  in  the  40th,  42nd, 
49th,  50th,  53rd,  and  61st  chapters.  Hence  what¬ 
ever  is  attributed  to  him  in  one  of  these  places  must  be 
understood  to  be  assumed  in  all  the  others. 

[Ch.  40:  1—5.] 

In  the  preceding  chapter  the  prophet  foretold  the 
Babylonish  captivity,  as  the  consummation  of  the 
judgments  which  he  had  been  sent  to  predict. 

But  he  now  comes  with  messages  of  mercy,  and 
appropriately  introduces  his  second  book  with  conso¬ 
lation.  ‘‘  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye  my  people,  saith 
your  God.  Speak  ye  comfortably  to  Jerusalem,  and 
cry  unto  her  that  her  warfare  is  accomplished,  that 
her  iniquity  is  pardoned :  for  she  hath  received  of 
the  Lord’s  hand  double  for  all  her  sins. 

“  The  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness. 
Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  straight  in  the 
desert  a  high-way  for  our  God.  Every  valley  shall 
be  exalted,  and  every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be 
made  low:  and  the  crooked  shall  be  made  straight, 
and  the  rough  places  plain.  And  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it 
together :  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken 


ISAIAH. 


87 


III  J 

There  is  here  a  reference  no  doubt  to  the  return 
of  the  Hebrews  from  Chaldean  captivity.  But  the 
inspired  Evangelists  as  certainly  found  here  a  predic¬ 
tion  of  the  Baptist  who  heralded  in  Messiah.  Matt. 
3:  3.  Let  it  be  noted  also  that  the  way  is  to  be 
prepared,  not  for  the  people  to  return  to  their  pos¬ 
sessions,  but  for  the  Lord  to  come  and  visit  his 
people. 

The  voice  of  John  has  been  long  since  heard  in 
the  wilderness,  preaching  repentance  and  preparation 
for  the  advent  of  Messiah.  The  wilderness  or  desert 
in  which  he  sojourned  was  a  fit  type  of  the  spiritual 
desert  presented  at  that  time  by  the  theocracy.  The 
glory  of  the  Lord  has  been  revealed ;  and  the  time  is 

hastening  when  ‘^all  flesh  shall  see  it  together.’' 

« 

[Ch.  42  :  1—9.] 

Jehovah  here  calls  upon  his  people  to  behold  his 
elect  servant,  in  whom  his  soul  delights,  and  upon 
whom  he  has  put  his  own  spirit,  and  who  shall  bring 
forth  judgment  to  the  Gentiles.”  Then  he  describes 
the  meek  and  gentle  character  of  that  elect  serVant: 
“  He  shall  not  cry,  nor  lift  up,  nor  cause  his  voice  to 
be  heard  in  the  street.  A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not 
break,  and  the  smoking  flax  (expiring  wick)  shall  he 
not  quench.”  Yet  he  shall  exercise  great  authority. 
“  He  shall  not  fail  nor  be  discouraged,  till  he  have  set 
judgment  in  the.  earth :  and  the  isles  shall  wait  for 
his  law.”  From  verse  5  onward,  Jehovah  directly 


4 


88 


ISAIAH. 


[PERIOD 


I 

i 


addresses  this  his  elect  One,  I  the  Lord  have  called 
thee  in  righteousness,  and  will  hold  thine  hand,  and 
will  keep  thee,  and  give  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the 
people  (i.  e.  a  Mediator),  for  a  light  of  the  Gentiles 
(the  people  that  walked  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great 
light,  9 :  2) ;  to  open  the  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out  the 
prisoners  from  the  prison,  and  them  that  sit  in  dark¬ 
ness  out  of  the  prison-house.” 

The  concordance  of  these  verses,  with  other  Mes¬ 
sianic  passages,  leads  us  at  once  to  see  in  this  elect 
servant  Him  who  humbled  himself  and  took  the  form 
of  a  servant ;  and  who  came  to  open  the  blind  eyes 
and  the  prison-doors ;  and  to  establish  a  kingdom  of 
peace.  His  meek  and  peaceful  spirit,  and  his  office 
as  mediator,  or  ‘^covenant  of  the  people,”  forbid  the 
reference  of  the  passage,  which  some  have  suggested, 
to  Cyrus.  Certainly  Cyrus  was  no  mediator,  not 
even  a  religious  reformer.  Neither  could  Isaiah  be 
considered  as  that  mediator  through  whose  agency 
the  Gentiles  were  to  be  converted.  And  as  arbitrary 
as  either  of  the  above  would  be  the  reference  of  the 
term  servant  to  the  prophetic  order  in  general — a 
reference  contradicted  by  the  import  of  parallel  pas¬ 
sages,  and  by  the  very  term  servant,  which  is  used 
only  for  a  single  individual,  not  collectively  for  many. 
Much  less  can  the  whole  people  of  Israel  be  meant  by 
this  servant.  The  character  ascribed  to  him  is  the 
opposite  of  that  charged  upon  the  .people,  and  he  is 
to  be  a  mediator,  or  covenant,  for  them. 


I 


I 


m.] 


ISAIAH. 


89 


Several  passages  are  found  in  the  New  Testament 
confirmatory  of  the  Messianic  interpretation.  Matt. 
11 :  18 — 21,  quotes  the  first  verses  of  this  chapter, 
and  declares  them  to  be  fulfilled  in  the  humble 
demeanor  of  Christ,  who  would  not  strive  and  cry 
against  his  enemies.  The  devout  Simeon  sees,  in  the 
divine  child  of  Mary,  a  light  to  lighten  the  Gen¬ 
tiles.’’  And  a,  voice  from  Heaven  proclaims  to  the  Bap¬ 
tist,  This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased” — equal  to,  ‘^mine  elect,  in  whom  my  soul 
delighteth.”  Verse  7  figuratively  and  beautifully 
describes  that  spiritual  redemption  which  Christ  came 
to  efiect  for  them  ^^that  sit  in  darkness”  and  the 
‘^prison-house*” 

[Ch.  49.] 

Hitherto  the  types  and  imagery  drawn  from  the 
captivity  have  been  very  prominent,  and  the  predic¬ 
tions  respecting  Messiah  have  stood  in  contrast  with 
the  evils  of  exile,  or  as  antetypes  of  Cyrus  and  the 
restoration.  Henceforth,  we  see  less  reference  to  the 
exile  and  restoration.  Christ  and  his  spiritual  re¬ 
demption  fill  the  vision,  and  are  minutely  described. 

This  forty-ninth  chapter  may  be  regarded  as  a 
dramatic  introduction  to  the  succeeding  Messianic 
chapters.  We  may  regard  the  scene  as  laid  about 
the  close  of  the  public  ministry  of  our  Lord,  and  the 
dialogue  as  carried  on  by  Messiah  and  Jehovah. 

In  the  first  four  verses  the  chosen  servant  of  the 

8  * 


90 


ISAIAH. 


[period 


Lord  declares  to  the  nations  his  divine  commission, 
and  bemoans  the  inadequate  results  of  his  labors 
amongst  the  tribes  of  Jacob.  “  The  Lord  called  me 
from  the  womb” — ‘‘made  my  mouth  like  a  sharp 
sword,”  and  “hid  me  in  his  quiver” — saying.  Thou 
art  my  servant,  0  Israel,  in  whom  I  will  be  glorified. 
But,  he  adds,  “  I  have  labored  in  vain,  I  have  spent 
my  strength  for  nought ;  ”  yet  says  he,  in  confidence, 
“my  work  (reward)  is  with  my  God.”  Thereupon 
Jehovah  replies  encouragingly  from  the  fifth  verse 
onward,  assuring  him  that  but  a  small  part  of  his 
mission  pertains  to  Israel.  “  I  will  also  give  thee  for 
a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  mayest  be  my  salva¬ 
tion  unto  the  end  of  the  earth.”  Though  despised 
and  abhorred  of  the  Hebrews,  and  made  a  servant 
of  rulers ;  yet  kings  shall  see  and  arise,  and  princes 
shall  worship  Him  whom  Jehovah  has  given  “for  a 

covenant  of  the  people,  to  establish  the  earth.” 

* 

Then  follows  a  pleasing  picture  of  his  kind  offices 
and  services  for  the  redeemed.  He  will  say  to  the 
prisoners,  “  Go  forth ;  to  them  that  are  in  darkness. 
Shew  yourselves :  they  shall  feed  in  the  ways,  and 
their  pastures  shall  be  in  all  high  places.  They  shall 
not  hunger  nor  thirst ;  neither  shall  the  heat  nor  sun 
smite  them :  for  he  that  hath  mercy  on  them  shall 
lead  them,  even  by  the  springs  of  water  shall  he 
guide  them.”  A  way  shall  be  prepared  over  mountains 
and  vallies,  and  the  people  of  the  Lord  “  shall  come 
from  far,  from  the  north  and  from  the  west,  and  from 


ITT.] 


ISAIAH. 


91 


the  land  of  Sinim.”  The  remainder  of  the  chapter 
is  occupied  with  rich  and  cheering  promises  and 
exhortations  to  Zion. 

Parallel  passages,  and  the  general  agreement  of 
the  chapter  with  the  whole  tenor  of  Messianic  pro¬ 
phecy,  and  the  difficulty  of  any  other  interpretation, 
lead  us  to  regard  this  servant  of  God  and  shepherd 
of  Israel  to  be  the  same  as  the  elect  Servant  before 
spoken  of ;  and  this  interpretation  is  confirmed  by 
Paul,  in  Acts  13 :  47,  where  he  quotes  from  this 
chapter  to  prove  that  the  Gospel  was  to  be  preached 
to  the  Gentiles. 

[Ch.  50.] 

Again  the  Lord,  in  distinction  from  the*  Lord  God 
who  commissioned  him  and  helps  him,  declares  in 
person  the  iniquity  of  Israel,  his  owm  qualifications 
for  the  work  of  redemption,  and  the  ignominy  im¬ 
posed  upon  him  in  his  humiliation. 

“  I  gave  my  back  to  the  smiters  and  my  cheeks 
to  them  that  plucked  off  the  hair :  I  hid  not  my  face 
from  shame  and  spitting.’' 

The  chapter  closes  with  an  exhortation  and  warn¬ 
ing  to  those  who  are  in  darkness  to  trust  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  and  not  to  attempt  to  walk  in  the  light 
of  their  own  fire  and  the  sparks  of  their  own  kindling. 

Christ,  in  Luke  18 :  32,  33,  referring  evidently 
to  this  place,  tells  his  disciples  that  he  shall  be 
mocked,  and  spitefully  entreated,  and  spitted  on  and 


92 


ISAIAH. 


[PERIOD 


scourged/*  in  fulfilment  of  what  is  written  by  the 
prophets  concerning  him.  And  in  that  barbarous 
transaction,  called  his  trial,  we  are  told  that  “they 
spit  in  his  face,’*  and  “bufieted  him,”  and  “smote 
him  with  the  palms  of  their  hands,”  and  with  a  reed. 

So  accurately  were  the  words  of  this  prophecy 
fulfilled. 

[Ch.  62 :  13,  and  ch.  63.] 

This  prophetic  evangel  reaches  its  climax  in  the 
passage  to  which  we  now  come.  We  have  already 
had  hints  of  the  humiliation  and  suffering  in  store  for 
Immanuel.  But  as  yet  we  have  had  no  clear  and 
connected  statement  of  the  cause,  manner,  and  object 
of  this  humiliation ;  or  of  the  relation  of  his  suffer¬ 
ings  to  his  triumph  and  our  salvation.  But  here  is 
given  in  connection  and  in  detail  the  great  catas¬ 
trophe  and  all  its  bearings.  We  are  to  learn  that  the 
Christ  is  to  be  both  priest  and  victim,  and  by  a  vol¬ 
untary  self-sacrifice  atone  for  our  sins.  That  his 
iiiimolation,  moreover,  is  to  be  effected  by  the  mis¬ 
taken  rage  of  those  for  whom  he  dies. 

In  order  to  understand  the  prophet  here,  we 
should  place  ourselves  between  the  humiliation  and 
glorification  of  the  Messiah.  Taking  that  position, 
Isaiah  describes  the  humiliation  as  already  past;  and 
the  exaltation,  which  is  to  be  the  consequence  of  his 
sufferings,  as  in  the  future.  Other  instances  might 
bo  pointed  out  where  the  condition  of  an  achievement 


m.] 


ISAIAH 


93 


is  narrated  in  the  past  tense,  and  the  achievement 
itself  in  the  future,  though  both  may  be  actually  in 
coming  time. 

The  style  of  these  passages  is  highly  dramatic. 
In  verse  13  of  chapter  52,  Jehovah  himself  steps 
forward  and,  pointing  to  his  representative,  says, 
‘‘  Behold,  my  servant  shall  deal  prudently  (prosper), 
he  shall  be  exalted  and  extolled,  and  be.  very  high.” 

Then,  turning  to  the  Son,  he  proceeds  respecting 
his  sufferings,  which  are  regarded  as  just  passed,  As 
many  were  astonished  at  thee  here  parenthetically 
throwing  out  to  the  hearers  the  reason  why  many  had 
been  astonished  his  visage  was  so  marred  more 
than  any  man,  and  his  form  more  than  the  sons  of 
men”);  continuing  then  to  speak  of  him  in  the  third 
person,  ‘‘So  now,”  in  his  exaltation,  “shall  he 
sprinkle  many  nations ;  the  kings  shall  shut  their 
mouths  at  him  (in  his  presence) :  for  that  which  had 
not  been  told  them  shall  they  see,  and  that  which  they 
had  not  heard  shall  they  consider.” 

Under  the  marred  visage  and  form  of  this  divine 
servant  we  readily  trace  the  suffering  and  contempt 
endured  by  the  Man  of  Sorrows ;  while  the  purifi¬ 
cation  and  sanctification  which  he  is  to  effect  in  his 
followers  is  intimated  by  a  figure  drawn  from  Jewish 
sprinklings  and  lustrations.  These  followers,  more¬ 
over,  are  to  be  gathered  from  many  nations,  and 
amongst  them  kings  shall  approach  in  silent  rever¬ 


ence. 


94 


ISAIAH. 


[PERIOD 


[Ch.  53 :  1.] 

But,  notwithstanding  his  followers  come  from 
many  climes,  multitudes,  apparently  the  great  mass 
of  mankind,  yet  stand  aloof.  The  future  may  bring 
trophies,  but  what  has  been  yet  accomplished  ?  ‘‘  Who 
hath  believed  our  report,  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of 
the  Lord  revealed?’’  Who  listens  to  prophecy,  and 
discerns  the  omnipotence  displayed  in  the  advent? 
The  God  is  not  seen  through  the  man.  Men  disbe¬ 
lieve  the  Gospel  because  they  are  blind  to  the  divine 
power  revealed  in  Christ. 

Verse  2.  Some  who  are  now  convinced  that  this 
servant  of  God  is  the  Messiah,  state,  next,  the  reasons 
why  they  had  been  unbelieving  and  had  maltreated 
this  pious  sufferer.  He  had  not  appeared  in  the  form 
and  style  which  they  anticipated.  They  were  look¬ 
ing  for  the  splendid  entry  of  a  great  king,  but  instead 
of  that,  ‘‘  He  grows  up  as  a  tender  plant,  and  as  a 
root  out  of  a  dry  ground  :  he  hath  no  form  nor  come¬ 
liness  ;  and  when  we  shall  see  him,  there  is  no  beauty 
that  we  should  desire  him.”  Instead  of  a  towering 
cedar,  he  comes  up  as  a  little  sprout  from  the  root  of 
David.  He  commands  no  respect  and  attention  from 
the  world. 

Verse  3.  ^^He  is  despised  and  rejected  of 
men ;  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief : 
and  we  hid  as  it  were  our  faces  from  him ;  he  was 
despised,  and  we  esteemed  him  not.” 

Verse  4,  5.  But  we  w^ere  deceived.  He  w^as 


m.] 


ISAIAH. 


95 


magnanimous  and  gracious  above  our  conception.  It 
was  benevolence  and  love  for  us  that  humbled  him ; 
not  the  divine  displeasure,  as  we  supposed.  Surely 
he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows  ; 
yet  we  did  esteem  him  stricken,  smitten  of  God,  and 
afflicted.  But  he  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions, 
he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities :  the  chastisement 
of  our  peace  was  upon  him ;  and  with  his  stripes  we 
are  healed.”  Here  is  the  whole  story  of  redemption, 
set  in  contrast  with  the  false  doctrine  of  the  Jews, 
that  whoever  suffers  is  receiving  the  penalty  of  some 
evil  deed.  A  doctrine  which  the  book  of  Job  would 
have  corrected,  if  they  had  learned  its  true  design. 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  refer  the  reader  to  the 
fulfilment  of  these  verses  in  the  life  of  Christ. 

Matt.  8 :  17  gives  a  lower  and  literal  fulfilment 
of  verse  4,  “He  bare  our  infirmities  and  sicknesses.” 
Matt.  20  ;  28,  and  1  Pet.  2 :  24,  “  He  gave  his  life 
a  ransom  for  many,”  “Who  his  own  self  bare  our 
sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,”  refer  to  the  higher 
and  main  fulfilment,  the  removal  of  our  spiritual 
infirmities,  “  That  we  being  dead  to  sins  should  live 
unto  righteousness  :  by  whose  stripes  ye  were  healed.” 

Verse  6.  “All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray, 
we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way ;  and  the 
Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all.”  This 
is  the  reason  of  all  his  sufferings.  The  burden  of  our 
sin  was  rolled  upon  him.  Wounds,  bruises,  and 
stripes,  positive  sufferings,  were  inflicted  upon  aim. 


96  ISAIAH.  [PERIOD 

by  virtue  of  which  we  go  free,  and  attain  peace  with 
God. 

We  have  next  a  more  specific  enumeration  of  his 
trials  with  special  reference  to  his  meekness,  patience, 
and  silent,  heroic  fortitude. 

Verse  7.  “  He  was  oppressed,  and  he  was  afflicted ; 
yet  he  opened  not  his  mouth  :  he  is  brought  as  a  lamb 
to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers 
is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth.’* 

It  was  not  without  significance  that  the  Baptist 
said  of  Christ,  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God.”  We 
are  told.  Matt.  26 :  49 — 63,  how  he — for  whom  staunch 
friends  were  ready  to  wield  the  sword,  and  who  might 
have  had  a  legion  of  angels  to  back  every  disciple — ^ 
yielded  without  resistance  to  his  enemies,  and  was 
led  away  to  be  tried  by  a  sanhedrim  that  had  already 
decreed  his  death.  And  how  amid  the  false  accusa¬ 
tions  and  insults  heaped  upon  him,  and  the  contra¬ 
dictions  of  suborned  witnesses,  he  sat  in  silence. 
^^And  the  high  priest  arose,  and  said  unto  him, 
Answerest  thou  me  nothing  ?  what  is  it  which  these 
witness  against  thee?  But  Jesus  held  his  peace.” 
Who  else  ever  came  so  lamb-like  and  silent  to  the 
slaughter,  under  similar  circumstances  ?  Think  what 
consequences  had  followed  if  that  majestic  and  elo¬ 
quent  form,  who  had  driven  the  profane  rabble  from 
the  temple,  and  at  whose  calm  but  decided,  ‘‘  I  am 
he,”  the  soldiers  fell  to  the  ground,  had  arisen  in  his 
divine  wrath  to  defend  himself  before  that  servile 


in.] 


ISAIAH. 


97 


senate !  We  can  imagine  how  perjured  witnesses 
and  fore-sworn  judges  would  have  slunk  away  from 
his  piercing  gaze  and  withering  rebukes.  But  none 
of  this.  As  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb, 
so  he  opened  not  his  mouth.’"  When  he  was  reviled 
he  reviled  not  again.  When  he  suffered  he  threat¬ 
ened  not.” 

Verse  8.  His  sufferings  end  in  a  violent  and 
untimely  death.  He  was  taken  away  by  distress 
and  judgment :  and  who  shall  declare  his  generation  ? 
for  he  was  cut  off  from  the  land  of  the  living :  for 
the  transgression  of  my  people  was  he  stricken.” 

Verse  9.  ^‘And  he  made  his  grave  with  the 
wicked  and  with  the  rich  in  his  death;”  (they  ap¬ 
pointed  his  grave  with  the  wicked,  but  he  was  with 
the  rich  in  his  dpath:)  ‘^because  he  had  done  no 
violence,  neither  was  any  deceit  in  his  mouth.” 

Christ’s  murderers  doubtless  designed  to  bury 
him,  as  they  had  executed  him,  between  thieves. 

He  was  numbered  with  the  transgressors,”  Mark 
15 :  28.  But  he  was  buried  by  a  man  of  rank  and 
influence,  ‘‘  a  rich  man  of  Arimathea,  in  his  own  new 
tomb,  which  he  had  hewn  out  in  the  rock.”  ‘^Be¬ 
cause  he  had  done  no  violence.”  ^‘Pilate  said,  I 
find  no  fault  in  this  man,”  Luke  23  :  4.  ‘‘Neither  was 
any  deceit  in  his  mouth.”  “Neither  was  guile  found 
in  his  mouth,”  1  Pet.  2:  22. 

Verse  10.  “Yet  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise 
him;  he  hath  put  him  to  grief.”  It  was  then  by  the 

9 


98 


ISAIAH. 


[period 


fore-ordination  of  God  that  he  was  given  up  to  the 
malice  of  enemies.  And  if  so,  it  was  for  some  great 
and  gracious  purpose.  Here  the  theme  changes,  and 
the  prophet  is  led  to  look  forward  to  the  results  of 
this  divine  humiliation. 

‘‘  When  his  soul  shall  make  an  offering  for  sin,  he 
shall  see  his  seed,  he  shall  prolong  his  days,  and  the 
pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall  prosper  in  his  hand.'' 
Having,  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  life,  according  to 
divine  appointment,  redeemed  mankind,  he  shall  at 
length  see  the  reward  of  his  labors.  His  numerous 
converts  and  the  eternity  of  his  reign  are  predicted, 
under  the  common  forms  of  blessing  in  that  age,  by 
long  life  and  numerous  offspring. 

Paul  says  of  Christ  that  God  made  him  to  fee 
sin  (sin-offering)  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,"  2  Cor.  5: 
21.  And  1  John  2 :  2,  He  is  the  propitiation  of  our 
sins ;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world." 

Verse  11.  ^‘He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his 
soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied."  As  the  husbandman 
sees  in  harvest  with  satisfaction  the  reward  of  his 
former  toil,  and  finds  the  bread  that  he  had  once 
^‘cast  upon  the  waters,"  so  shall  this  divine  servant 
see  in  due  time  the  fruit  of  his  mediatorial  toils  and 
sufferings,  and  ‘^be  satisfied." 

By  his  knowledge  shall  my  righteous  servant 
justify  many,  for  he  shall  bear  their  iniquities." 

His  sacrifice  shall  be  rich  in  results.  Many  justi- 


III.] 


ISAIAH. 


99 


fied  souls  shall  be  given  him.  He  shall  justify  them 
by  hearing  their  sins.  Not  simply  impart  encourage¬ 
ment  and  instruction  to  them.  This  chapter  is  a 
great  sermon  on  ‘‘vicarious  sacrifice.’' 

The  whole  argument  is  summed  up  in  the  last 
verse,  where  it  is  promised  that  his  sacrifice,  atone¬ 
ment,  and  intercession  shall  end  in  victory ;  and  his 
triumphs  are  portrayed  under  the  figure  of  a  worldly 
conqueror. 

“  Therefore  will  I  divide  him  a  portion  with  the 
great,  and  he  shall  divide  the  spoil  with  the  strong ; 
because  he  hath  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death :  and 
he  was  numbered  with  the  transgressors  ;  and  he  bare 
the  sin  of  many,  and  made  intercession  for  the  trans¬ 
gressors.”  So  ends  this  greatest  chapter  of  Messianic 
Prophecy. 

It  could  not  be  that  such  a  chapter  should  fail  of 
many  severe  attacks  from  sceptics. 

The  earlier  Jews  regarded  it  as  certainly  Mes¬ 
sianic.  But  after  its  fulfilment  in  Christ  a  new 
interpretation  was  needed  to  meet  the  Christians. 
Moreover,  the  doctrine  of  a  suffering  Messiah  was 
ever  repugnant  to  Jewish  pride,  and  hence  few  could 
reconcile,  or  cared  to  reconcile,  this  with  other  pas¬ 
sages  descriptive  of  a  triumphant  leader.  Only  a 
pious  few,  of  liberal  mind,  mastered  the  idea  of  a 
vicarious  atonement  by  the  incarnate  God.  The 
doctrine  of  the  cross  was  to  “the  Jew  a  stumbling- 
block.” 


100  ISAIAH.  [PERIOD 

The  Christian  church  has  always  found  here  the 
culmination  of  Messianic  Prophecy.  With  the  excep¬ 
tion  of  that  knowing  school  of  modern  date  which 
foreordained  that  there  should  be  no  miraculous  reve¬ 
lation  of  the  future  found  in  the  Bible,  no  objector  to 
the  Messianic  interpretation  of  this  chapter  appears 
on  Christian  ground.  And  Neology  but  tags  after 
Rabbinism ;  only  out-doing  the  Rabbins  in  its  stumb¬ 
ling  unbelief. 

The  chapter  refers  so  evidently  to  Christ  when 
interpreted  as  the  Gospel  interprets  it,  that  a  lengthy 
reply  to  objectors  is  not  needed.  The  objection  to 
the  idea  of  a  suffering  Saviour  arises  from  a  partial 
view  of  Messianic  revelation,  and  from  that  pride  of 
reason  which  looks  with  jealousy  upon  the  inspired 
seer,  and  with  hatred  upon  whatever  tends  to  humble 
man,  and  make  him  feel  the  need  of  a  Saviour. 

Christ  declares  that  his  sufferings  were  foretold  by 
the  prophets.  And  when,  if  not  here  ?  It  is  no 
objection  to  these  predictions  that  they  are  blended 
with  others  which  refer  to  the  restoration  from  Baby¬ 
lonish  exile,  so  that  the  people  of  that  age  could  not 
separate  them.  It  is  the  manner  of  prophecy  to 
blend  the  type  and  the  antetype.  Prophecy  aimed, 
not  to  inform  the  Jews  accurately  when  Messiah  would 
come,  but  to  keep  them  looking  forward  to  a  time 
when  the  great  Deliverer  should  appear. 

The  interpretation  of  this  whole  passage  depends 
upon  who  is  the  righteous  servant,”  of  whom  it 


ISAIAH. 


101 


III.] 

treats.  The  term  servant  is  applied  to  any  one  who 
executes  a  divine  purpose,  and  hence  is  specially 
applicable  to  Him  who  comes  to  execute  God’s  highest 
purpose  relative  to  man. 

No  other  than  Christ  could  have  fulfilled  all,  or 
the  most  prominent  features  of  the  prophecy. 

The  whole  tenor  of  the  passage  contradicts  the 
hypothesis  that  this  servant  is  the  whole  Jewish  people 
or  a  part  of  them  collectively.  Certainly  they  never 
suffered  either  innocently  or  voluntarily.  Moreover, 
they  are  represented  as  saying  that  this  righteous 
servant  suffered  for  them ;  of  course  then  they  were 
not  the  sufferers.  The  conjecture  that  a  part,  the 
better  part,  of  the  people  suffered  for  the  others  is  a 
mere  groundless  and  inconsistent  conjecture,  hostile 
to  the  whole  spirit  of  God’s  government. 

Equally  groundless  is  the  interpretation  which 
refers  the  passage  to  the  prophetic  order,  as  such. 
The  prophets  were  not  a  distinct  class  of  men,  as 
were  the  priestly  and  regal  orders.  They  were 
isolated  individuals  selected  here  and  there  by  Provi¬ 
dence  to  instruct  the  people.  Anything  of  a  sacer¬ 
dotal  nature,  particularly  making  such  an  atonement 
for  sin  as  is  here  spoken  of,  was  foreign  to  their 
calling.  They  would  have  shrunk  from  the  thought 
of  applying  such  a  chapter  as  this  fifty-third  of 
Isaiah  to  themselves.  The  prophets  certainly,  above 
all  other  men,  looked  forward  to  Messiah,  who  was  to 
realize  the  ideal  of  their  order  and  end  their  calling. 

9* 


102  ISAIAH.  [PERIOD 

And  they  were  far  from  the  thought  of  making  atone¬ 
ment  for  the  sins  of  their  people. 

In  this  chapter  the  prophet  evidently  includes 
himself  amongst  the  people  for  whom  the  righteous 
servant  suffered. 

To  the  objection  that  the  doctrine  of  expiation  for 
sin  by  sacrificial  offerings  is  repugnant  to  the  spirit 
of  revelation,  it  need  only  be  replied  that  the  doc¬ 
trine  of  expiation  by  the  substitution  of  a  mere 
creature  is  indeed  repugnant.  But  precisely  here 
lies  the  rich  significance  of  Messianic  revelation. 
The  sacrifice  here  proposed  is  not  a  creature,  but  a 
divine  being,  who'  could,  by  virtue  of  his  eternal 
righteousness  and  his  exaltation  above  creature-obli¬ 
gations,  perform  works  of  supererogation  on  which 
might  rest  an  atonement.  And  as  the  words  of  the 
prophet  in  this  chapter  certainly  express  the  doctrine 
of  such  an  atonement  as  clearly  as  Hebrew  language 
could  do  it,  we  infer,  on  this  ground  also,  that  the 
reference  cannot  be  to  a  creature.  Hence  the 
apostles  of  Christ  in  their  teachings  made  this 
prophecy  the  basis  of  their  doctrine  of  atonement. 
1  Pet.  2 :  24. 

Let  it  be  noted  that  the  same  person,  according 
to  this  chapter,  suffers,  dies,  and  is  afterward  glorified, 
and  receives  the  promise  of  a  great  inheritance. 
Parallel  passages  from  other  parts  of  the  book,  and 
from  other  books,  might  be  cited  confirmatory  of  the 


m.] 


ISAIAH. 


103 


Messianic  interpretation.  But  the  above  is  deemed 
sufficient. 

The  remaining  chapters  all  evidently  refer  to  the 
same  person  and  the  same  great  events.  The  next 
chapter  is  occupied  with  promises  to  the  church,  and 
exhortations  to  rejoice  in  view  of  the  great  salvation 
and  enlargement  that  should  accrue  under  the  reign 
of  Christ.  For  the  sake  of  brevity  only  a  few  of  the 
passages  in  these  chapters,  which  refer  more  imme¬ 
diately  to  the  person  and  work  of  the  Redeemer,  are 
here  particularly  examined. 

[Ch.  55 :  1—5.] 

The  fifty-fifth  chapter  opens  with  an  invitation  to 
all  who  desire  it  to  come  and  participate  in  the  salva- 
vation  provided  by  the  suffering  Saviour.  ‘‘  Ho,  every 
one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that 
hath  no  money :  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come, 
buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price. 
Wherefore  do  ye  spend  your  money  for  that  which 
is  not  bread?  and  your  labor  for  that  which  sat- 
isfieth  not  ?  Hearken  diligently  unto  me,  and  eat 
'ye  that  which  is  good,  and  let  your  soul  delight  itself 
in  fatness.  Incline  your  ear  and  come  unto  me : 
hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live ;  and  I  will  make  an 
everlasting  covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies 
of  David.” 

How  like  the  tender  and  gracious  calls  of  Christ 
himself — If  any  man  thirst  let  him  come  unto  me 


104  ISAIAH.  [PERIOD 

and  drink  “  This  is  my  body  broken  for  you,”  take 
and  eat,  for  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood 
is  drink  indeed” — The  water  that  I  shall  give  him 
shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water,  springing  up  into 
everlasting  life” — ‘‘I  am  the  bread  of  life;  he  that 
cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger ;  and  he  that 
believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst — If  any  man  eat 
of  this  bread  he  shall  live  forever — Whoso  eateth 
my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood  hath  eternal  life.” 

The  ^^sure  mercies  of  David”  are  embodied  in 
this  ‘^living  bread” — Behold,  I  have  given  him  for 
a  witness  to  the  people,  a  leader  and  commander  to 
the  people.”  So  Christ  came  to  hear  witness  to 
the  truth” — and  is  called  the  faithful  and  true 
witness.”  He  is  also  the  leader  or  ‘^captain  of  our 
salvation,”  and  ‘^ihe  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the 
earth.”  His  dominion  shall  be  far  extended.  Be¬ 
hold,  thou  shalt  call  a  nation  that  thou  knowest  not ; 
and  nations  that  know  not  thee  shall  run  unto  thee.” 
The  concordance  of  all  these  verses  with  other  Mes¬ 
sianic.  Prophecy  is  evident.  The  ingathering  of 
strange  or  Gentile  nations  settles  the  Messianic 
reference. 

The  prophet  next  turns  to  admonish,  warn,  and 
expostulate  with  Israel  and  others  respecting  their 
sins,  and  the  great  movements  of  Providence  and 
grace  which  have  been  predicted.  Frequent  refer 
ence  is  made  to  the  great  salvation  that  is  soon  to  be 
introduced. 


ISAIAH. 


105 


111.] 


[Ch.  69:  20.] 

“And  the  Redeemer  shall  come  to  Zion,  and  unto 
them  that  turn  from  transgression  in  Jacob,  saith  the 
Lord.”  Who*  should  this  be,  if  not  He  who  has  ever 
been  called  pre-eminently  “the  Redeemer?”  He 
who  “  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised 
for  our  iniquities.”  So  Paul  quotes  the  passage  as  a 
prediction  referring  to  Gospel  times.  Rom.  11 :  26. 

Verse  21  contains  a  promise  of  the  continuance 
of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  and  of  a  godly  seed  forever. 

Then  follow  several  chapters  full  of  exalted  poetry 
relating  to  Christ  and  his  church.  Chapters  that 
sound  like  a  divine  oratorio  ;  prophet,  people,  Imman¬ 
uel,  God  himself,  alternately,  and  in  chorus  joining 
to  sing  of  the  great  salvation.  Strains  these,  that 
shall  only  be  rightly  sung  when  the  church  militant 
becomes  triumphant;  when  the  “redeemed  of  the 
Lord  shall  come  to  Zion  with  songs,  and  everlasting 
joy  upon  their  heads.”  Two  passages,  presenting  the 
Messiah  in  different  attitudes,  may  yet  be  specifica¬ 
ted.  In  the  first,  he  comes  to  “  preach  good  tidings  ” ' 
to  the  mourning  captives ;  he  comes  meekly  and 
lovingly  with  tender  consolations. 

In  the  other,  we  see  him  just  after  a  terrible  battle 
with  his  enemies,  his  “  garments  dyed  in  their  blood,” 
“the  day  of  vengeance  in  his  heart,”  marching  “in 
the  greatness  of  his  strength,”  to  bring  the  year  of 
redemption  to  his  people. 


106 


ISAIAH. 


[PERIOD 


[Ch.  61 :  1—4.] 

The  spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me;  because 
the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings 
unto  the  meek ;  he  hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the 
broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives, 
and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are 
bound ;  to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  day  of  vengeance  of  our  God  ;  to  comfort  all 
that  mourn ;  to  appoint  unto  them  that  mourn  in 
Zion,  to  give  them  beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for 
mourning,  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of 
heaviness ;  that  they  might  be  called  trees  of  right¬ 
eousness,  the  planting  of  the  Lord,  that  he  might  be 
glorified.” 

The  imagery  is  here  taken  from  Chaldean  cap- 
^  tivity,  and  in  a  lower  sense  the  passage  may  be  a 
prediction  of  deliverance  from  it.  But  the  speaker 
is  evidently  the  same  who  has  been  the  subject  of  the 
preceding  chapters.  And  the  complete  fulfilment  of 
the  passage  could  only  be  found  in  Him  who,  in  the 
full  consciousness  of  his  divinity,  read  and  expounded 
the  passage  as  referring  to  his  own  ministry  and 
fulfilled  in  it,  Luke  4 :  16 — 21. 

He  is  called  pre-eminently  the  Christ  (anointed). 
He  first  preached  the  good  tidings  (gospel)  to  the  poor. 
His  promises  are  peculiarly  to  the  broken-hearted ; 
and  to  the  captives  taken  by  the  God  of  this  world. 
He  opens  the  blind  eyes,  imparting  the  true  light.” 
He  proclaims  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord. 


/ 


in.] 


ISAIAH. 


107 


The  passage  is  figurative,  and  should  be  regarded 
mainly  with  reference  to  a  spiritual  fulfilment.  Yet 
even  in  its  literal  significance  it  received  in  the  gra¬ 
cious  Jesus  its  most  beautiful  realization.  Who  else 
so  carefully  sought  out  the  poor  and  despised, 
preached  to  publicans  and  sinners,  opened  the  eyes 
of  the  blind,  and  loosed  the  captives  whom  Satan 
had  bound  ? 

[Ch.  63 :  1—6.] 

In  the  sixty-second  chapter  earnest  supplication 
is  made  to  God  in  behalf  of  Zion,  promise  is  received 
of  his  regard  and  faithfulness,  and  the  ministers  of 
the  Lord  are  commanded  to  prepare  the  way  for  the 
advent  of  Zion’s  salvation  or  Saviour.  In  the  sixty- 
third,  this  Saviour  appears  to  the  prophet  in  the 
midst  of  his  contest  and  victories  over  the  enemies 
of  Israel.  He  sees  him  as  it  were  returning  from  the 
slaughter  of  the  Edomites  (from  Bozrah,  the  chief  city 
of  Edom),  who  stand  as  a  type  of  the  enemies  of  the 
church.  Startled  by  the  vision,  he  cries  out,  Who 
is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom,  wuth  dyed  garments 
from  Bozrah?  this  that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel, 
travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength?”  To 
this  inquiry  Messiah  answers,  in  thunder-tones,  I 
that  speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save.”  Again 
the  prophet  asks,  Wherefore  art  thou  red  in  thy 
apparel,  and  thine  garments  like  him  that  treadeth  in 
the  winefat  ?  ”  He  replies,  ^^I  have  trodden  tlie 


108 


ISAIAH. 


[period 


winepress  alone ;  of  the  people  there  was  none  with 
me  :  for  I  will  tread  them  in  mine  anger,  and  trample 
them  in  my  fury;  and  their  blood  shall  be  sprinkled 
upon  my  garments,  and  I  ivill  stain  all  my  raiments. 
For  the  day  of  vengeance  is  in  my  heart,  and  the  year 
of  my  redeemed  is  come.”  The  redemption  of  the 
distressed  and  oppressed  church  demands  this  de¬ 
struction  by  him  of  the  enemies  of  God  and  his 
kino:dom.  He  comes  to  the  rescue  because  there  is 
no  other ’Saviour.  ‘‘I  looked  and  there  was  none  to 
help  ;  and  I  wondered  that  there  was  none  to  uphold ; 
therefore  mine  own  arm  brought  salvation  unto  me, 
and  my  fury  it  upheld  me.  And  I  will  tread  down 
the  people  in  mine  anger,  and  make  them  drunk  in 
my  fury,  and  I  will  bring  down  their  strength  to  the 
earth.” 

One  realizes,  in  reading  these  burning,  crushing 
words  from  the  mouth  of  the  Incarnate,  what  an 
apostle  meant  when  he  said,  ‘Gt  is  a  fearful  thing  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God.”  There  is 
indeed  no  wrath  like  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb^  John, 
in  his  Revelations,  saw  one  whose  name  was  ‘‘  the 
Word  of  God,”  “  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in 
blood” — “treading  the  winepress  of  the  fierceness 
and  wrath  of  Almighty  God.” 

The  connection  of  the  passage  with  what  has 
preceded  respecting  Messiah,  and  the  representation 
of  his  contest  as  undertaken  solely  for  the  rescue  of 
the  faithful,  mark  it  as  a  highly  poetical  and  sublime 


III.] 


>*c»Ai  AH. 


109 


description  of  the  Son  of  God  in  the  moment  of  that 
triumph  which  is  so  often  referred  to  in  other  places. 

With  this  vision  of  triumph  for  the  redeemed, 
and  ruin  for  the  enemies  of  God,  we  close  the  mag¬ 
nificent  book  of  Isaiah.  With  Isaiah  ended  the  golden 
age  of  prophecy.  He  went  down  glorious  as  a  sun ; 
and  after  his  setting  it  was  night. 

For  sixty  years  after  Isaiah's  martyrdom  no 
prophet's  voice  is  heard.  It  is  an  age  of  darkness, 
and  fanaticism,  and  distracting  babble :  an  age  of 
idolatry,  and  of  persecution,  in  which  the  few  faithful 
had  need  of  the  support  afforded  by  the  sublime 
revelations  of  preceding  ages. 

10 


PERIOD  'IV. 


CHALDEAN  PERIOD. 


The  dark  reigns  of  Manasseh  and  Ammon  came 
like  a  Greenland  winter  upon  the  theocracy.  Seventy 
.  years  of  idolatry,  persecution,  and  spiritual  dearth 
served  well-nigh  to  fill  up  the  cup  of  wrath  which 
Israel  and  Judah  were  to  drink  from  the  hand  of  the 
Chaldeans. 

When  the  voice  of  the  prophet  was  again  heard  it 
was  but  the  omen  of  ill  and  herald  of  ruin.  Zepha- 
niah  and  Jeremiah  saw  the  shadow  of  approaching 
exile  already  beginning  to  fall  upon  their  country, 
and  bravely  lifted  up  the  note  of  warning.  But  the 
deaf  age  would  not  hear ;  and  amain  the  shadow  and 
the  substance  strode  on. 

Yet  even  in  the  clutch  of  Chaldean  oppression 
there  came  to  them  visions  of  hope  and  voices  of 
promise.  He  who  guards  Israel  never  slumbers,  but 
in  the  darkest  hour  renews  his  divine  revelations. 
Reading  these  later  prophets  we  feel  that  though  the 


ZEl’llANIAH. 


Ill 


age  has  changed,  and  the  grand  prophet-bards  of 
golden  memory  have  departed,  yet  the  Spirit  still 
speaks  through  appropriate  organs.  Diversity  of 
gifts,  change  of  style,  and  the  like,  none  can  deny 
but  it  is  the  same  spirit. 

ZEPHANIAH. 

The  better  reign  of  Josiah  threw  a  dam  across 
the  stream  of  corruption,  and  gave  the  prophets  an 
opportunity  again  to  speak,  and  to  make  addition  to 
the  wonderful  Book  which  had  been  so  long  buried  in 
the  rubbish  of  the  Temple. 

Zephaniah  first  breaks  silence  with  a  train  of  woes 
and  warnings  for  the  wicked  nations  of  the  age.  To 
all  he  proclaims  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  at 
hand:’’  day  of  wrath,  a  day  of  trouble  and  dis¬ 
tress,  a  day  of  wasteness  and  desolation,  a  day  of 
darkness  and  gloominess,  a  day  of  clouds  and  thick 
darkness,”  a  day  of  trumpet,  and  alarm,  and  distress 
against  those  who  have  sinned  against  the  Lord. 

But  after  this  day  of  darkness  comes  a  cheering 
prospect  of  brighter  times. 


[Ch.  3  :  9—20.] 

‘^For  then  will  I  turn  to  the  people  a  pure  lan¬ 
guage,  that  they  may  all  call  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  to  serve  him  with  one  consent.”  .  .  .  ‘‘  The 
remnant  of  Israel,”  who  shall  trust  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  shall  not  do  iniquity,  nor  speak  lies ; 


112  JEREMIAH.  [period 

neither  shall  a  deceitful  tongue  be  found  in  their 
mouth :  for  they  shall  feed  and  lie  down,  and  none 
shall  make  them  afraid.’'  .  .  .  ^‘Behold,  at  that  time  I 
will  undo  all  that  afflict  thee ;  and  I  will  save  her 
that  halteth,  and  gather  her  that  was  driven  out ;  and 
I  will  get  them  praise  and  fame  in  every  land  where 
they  have  been  put  to  shame.”  .  .  .  ‘‘for  I  will  make 
you  a  name  and  a  praise  among  all  people  of  the 
earth.” 

W  e  see  here  an  e\ddent  allusion  to  the  restoration 
from  the  approaching  exile ;  but  also  a  prediction  of 
a  brighter  era  and  an  illustrious  reign  of  peace  of 
which  former  prophets  have  so  eloquently  spoken. 

JEREMIAH. 

k 

Of  longer  flight  and  wider  sweep  is  the  earnest, 
pathetic  Jeremiah.  Beginning  about  the  same  time 
with  Zephaniah,  630  B.  C.,  he  was  called  both  to 
predict  the  downfall  of  Jerusalem  and  Judea,  and  to 
witness  the  fulfllment  of  these  predictions.  To  in¬ 
crease  the  misery  of  this  tender-hearted  and  naturally 
timid  child  of  inspiration,  he  was  not  only  as  it  were 
forced  to  stand  forth  as  a  prophet  and  rebuke  a  god¬ 
less  age,  but  the  heartless  people  whom  he  warned 
looked  upon  him  as  in  some  way  the  author  of  the 
divine  judgments  which  he  foretold.  No  one  ever 
had  greater  occasion  for  lamentations;  and  no  ore 
ever  surpassed  him  in  strains  of  eloquent  sorrow. 

The  only  consolation  for  this  noble  mourner  was 


IV.] 


JEREMIAH. 


113 


found  in  the  vision  and  contemplation  of  a  better 
future ;  in  the  promise  of  a  return  from  exile,  and 
still  more  in  the  distant  but  joyful  reign  of  ‘‘  the 
Lord  our  righteousness.”  These  two  events  both  lie 
in  the  future,  the  times  indistinguishable,  but  the 
latter  and  more  distant  by  reason  of  its  surpassing 
glory,  seeming  to  cover  the  whole  view. 

[Ch.  23:  1—8.] 

Jeremiah's  first  prediction  of  Christ  comes  in 
contrast  with  the  denunciation  of  wicked  leaders  who 
scatter  and  drive  away  the  flock  of  the  Lord.  The 
evil  pastors  are  the  kings  through  whose  wickedness 
God's  people  are  led  into  sin  and  consequent  exile 
and  distress.  The  Lord  declares  that  he  will  visit 
upon  them  the  evil  of  their  doings  ;  and  ‘^will  gather 
the  remnant  of  my  flock  out  of  all  countries  whither 
I  have  driven  them,  and  will  bring  them  again  to  their 
folds ;  and  they  shall  be  fruitful  and  increase.  And 
I  will  set  up  shepherds  over  them  which  shall  feed 
them :  and  they  shall  fear  no  more,  nor  be  dismayed, 
neither  shall  they  be  lacking,  saith  the  Lord.” 

That  these  better  shepherds  were  not  the  Macca¬ 
bees,  as  some  have  suggested,  appears  from  the  fact 
that  they  are  to  be  undershepherds  of  the  branch  of 
David,  who  is  to  reign,  and  prosper,  and  execute  judg¬ 
ment.  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that 
I  will  raise  unto  David  a  righteous  branch,  and  a 
king  shall  reign  and  prosper,  and  shall  execute  judg- 

10* 


114  JEREMIAH.  [period 

ment  and  justice  in  the  earth.  And  in  his  days  shall 
Judah  be  saved,  and  Israel  shall  dwell  safely,  and 
this  is  the  name  whereby  he  shall  be  called,  the  Lord 
OUR  Eighteousness.’' 

The  Maccabees  neither  sprang  from  David  nor 
were  undershepherds  of  any  distinguished  branch  of 
his  family. 

The  promise  of  future  prosperity  here  made  is  too 
rich  to  find  adequate  fulfilment  in  any  kingdom  save 
that  of  Messiah. 

The  name  given  to  this  branch  of  David,  of  whom 
we  have  before  heard,  is  suflScient  to  mark  him  as  the 
great  final  Kestorer.  He  w^ho  is  called  pre-eminently 
our  Kighteousness,  must  be  more  righteous  than 
David,  must  be  divine.  And  the  undershepherds  are 
to  be  found  in  such  disciples  as  he  to  whom  Christ 
said,  ‘^feed  my  sheep.*' 

[Ch.  31:  31—40.] 

The  thirtieth  and  thirty-first  chapters  are  full  of 
promise.  The  restoration  from  exile  is  abundantly 
predicted ;  and  in  connection  with  this  is  given  a 
promise  of  the  new  covenant,  and  reign  of  righteous¬ 
ness.  “  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that 
I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel, 
and  with  the  house  of  Judah ;  not  according  to  the 
covenant  that  I  made  with  their  fathers,  in  the  day 
that  I  took  them  by  the  hand,  to  bring  them  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt  .  .  .  But  this  shall  be  the  covenant 


IV.] 


JEREMIAH. 


115 


that  I  Avill  make  with  the  house  of  Israel ;  after  those 
days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their 
'  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts  ;  and  will  be 
their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people.’' 

God’s  covenants  are  rather  dispensations  than 
contracts.  This  new  dispensation  is  evidently  to  be 
general,  and  to  stand  in  contrast  with  the  Mosaic 
institutes;  to  be  at  least  a  higher  development  of 
theocracy.  The  peculiarity  of  this  new  dispensation 
is  that  the  law  shall  be  not  so  much  embodied  in 
external  forms,  as  laid  up  in  the  heart.  It  will  be  a 
more  spiritual  dispensation.  Some  spirituality  existed 
under  the  old  covenant,  but  grace  and  truth  came  V 
Jesus  Christ;  ”  the  peculiarity  of  the  new  dispensation 
is  its  spirituality. 

It  shall  also  be  characterized  by  the  general 
diffusion  of  religious  truth.  And  they  shall  teach 
no  more  every  man  his  neighbor,  and  every  man  his 
brother,  saying.  Know  the  Lord :  for  they  shall  all 
know  me,  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the  greatest  of 
them,  saith  the  Lord  :  for  I  will  forgive  their  iniquity, 
and  I  will  remember  their  sin  no  more.”  Through 
forgiveness  of  sins  shall  men  enter  into  this  spiritual 
covenant,  and  intimate  knowledge  of  God.  Knowl¬ 
edge  shall  come  in  part  like  inspiration  by  virtue  of 
the  love  of  God’s  law  which  men  shall  possess.  Babes 
and  sucklings  shall  by  participation  of  the  spiritual 
life  know.more  of  the  mystery  of  godliness  than  did 
ancient  kings  and  prophets.  Human  teaching  shall 


116 


JEREMIAH. 


[PERIOD 


be  secondary.  Symbol  and  type  shall  be  laid  aside, 
and  the  pure,  simple  truth  ‘‘run  and  be  glorified.’' 

The  writer  of  Hebrews  quotes  this  passage,  and 
declares  its  fulfilment  in  the  Gospel  dispensation. 
Heb.  8th  and  9th.  To  those  chapters  the  reader  is 
referred  for  further  comment. 

The  remainder  of  this  thirty-first  chapter  vividly 
describes  the  duration,  extension,  and  glory  of  the 
spiritual  kingdom,  by  imagery  drawn  from  the  re¬ 
building  and  extension  of  the  walls  of  Jerusalem. 

o 


[Ch.  33 :  14—26.] 

Again,  the  promise  of  restoration  is  made  in  answer 
to  the  complaints  of  those  who  declare  that  the  Lord 
has  cast  ofi*  the  regal  and  sacerdotal  families,  and 
given  up  his  people.  As  in  the  thirty-first  chapter, 
the  promises  are  declared  to  be  sure  and  infallible  as 
the  ordinances  of  the  sun  and  moon.  Referring  back 
to  former  promises,  he  says,  “  Behold,  the  days  come, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  I  have  promised  unto  the  house 
of  Israel  and  to  the  house  of  Judah.  In  those  days 
and  at  that  time,  will  I  cause  the  branch  of  right¬ 
eousness  to  grow  up  unto  David ;  and  he  shall  exe¬ 
cute  judgment  and  righteousness  in  the  land."  .  .  • 
“  For  thus  saith  the  Lord:  David  shall  never  want  a 
man  to  sit  upon  the  throne  of  the  house  of  Israel ; 
neither  shall  the  priests  the  Levites  want  a  man 
before  me  to  offer  burnt  offerings,  and  to  kindle  meat 
offerings,  and  to  do  sacrifice  continually." 


IV.] 


EZEKIEL. 


117 


So  frequent  and  strong  are  the  assurances  of  the 
royal  branch  even  when  the  throne  of  David  and  the 
whole  theocracy  seem  to  be  prostrate  and  in  ruins. 

The  promise  of  an  eternal  priesthood,  in  connec¬ 
tion  with  the  eternal  dominion  of  the  branch  is  a 
marked  feature  in  this  passage.  As  Christ  would 
establish  forever  the  true  kingdom  of  which  David’s 
was  a  type  ;  so  would  he  also  in  his  sacerdotal  char¬ 
acter  forever  afford  the  means  of  access  to  God  by 
his  self-sacrifice,  and  thus  virtually  perpetuate  the 
Levitical  priesthood. 

Reference  may  also  be  made  here  to  that  priest¬ 
hood,  as  well  as  sovereignty,  with  which  every  be¬ 
liever  is  invested.  Ye  shall  be  called  kings  and 
priests  unto  God.”  In  this  sense  all  members  of  the 
true  church  become  allied  to  the  families  of  David 
and  of  Levi,  and  these  families  are  perpetuated  in 
them. 


EZEKIEL. 

Leaving  now  the  desolate  region  of  Judea,  let  us 
follow  the  track  of  the  exiles  to  distant  Chaldea. 
There,  too,  we  may  find,  by  the  river  Chebar,  one 
whose  harp  hangs  not  upon  the  willows,  and  whose 
fiery  glance  pierces  forward  into  brighter  eras.  In 
part  at  least  cotemporary  with  Jeremiah,  probably 
once  his  pupil,  Ezekiel’s  circumstances  and  themes 
are  not  unlike  that  prophet.  But  in  style  and  treat¬ 
ment  of  his  subject  he  is  all  unlike  the  tender  Jere- 


118  EZEKIEL.  [period 

miah.  He  is  master  of  the  startling  and  terrible. 
At  the  evils  of  his  age  he  smites  right  and  left  as 
with  a  two  edged  sword.  As  a  spiritual  Samson  he 
sets  himself  to  pull  down  idolatry,  and  point  his 
people  to  the  true  God. 

Carried  to  Chaldea  with  the  better  part  of  the 
people  he  has  a  better  material  to  work  upon  than 
has  Jeremiah.  Still,  the  exiles  to  a  great  extent  for¬ 
got  God  and  looked  for  deliverance  from  human 
means.  At  times  he  also  directs  his  discourse  to  the 
remnant  of  the  people  in  Judea. 

Like  the  other  Messianic  prophets  he  follows  up 
denunciation  and  threatenings  with  promises  of  future 
blessings  ;  coupling  together  predictions  of  the  res¬ 
toration  and  of  the  great  era  of  Messiah. 

A  hasty  glance  at  his  Messianic  predictions  must 
suflSce. 

[Ch,  11:  14—21.] 

Here  the  Jews  yet  in  Palestine  are  reproved  for 
exulting  over  those  in  captivity  as  if  they  were  better 
and  more  favored  of  God  than  the  exiles.  God 
promises  to  be  as  a  sanctuary  for  the  dispersed,  and 
to  restore  them  again  to  their  own  land.  This  prom¬ 
ise  is  accompanied  with  an  intimation  of  that  new 
birth,  which  is  regarded  as  more  peculiarly  a  Christian 
doctrine. 

And  I  will  put  a  new  spirit  within  you  ;  and  I 
will  take  the  stony  heart  out  of  their  liesli,  and  will 


I 


IV.] 


EZEKIEL. 


119 


give  them  an  heart  of  flesh/'  This  and  the  general 
scope  of  the  passage  seem  to  embrace  more  than  was 
realized  in  the  mere  restoration  to  Palestine,  though 
there  is  no  very  definite  proof  of  a  Messianic  refer¬ 
ence. 

[Ch.  17 :  22—24.] 

The  house  of  David  is  here  represented  as  a  high 
cedar,”  from  which  Jehovah  takes  the  topmost  branch 
and  plants  it  ‘‘in  the  mountain  of  the  height  of 
Israel,”  with  the  promise  that  it  shall  grow,  and 
“  bring  forth  boughs,  and  bear  fruit,  and  be  a  goodly 
cedar ;  and  under  it  shall  dwell  all  fowl  of  every 
wing ;  in  the  shadow  of  the  branches  thereof  shall 
they  dwell.” 

Similar  to  the  above  is  Christ's  parable  of  the 
grain  of  mustard  seed.  But  Ezekiel  sees  no  seed 
planted :  it  is  a  twig,  or  highest  branch  from  an 
ancient  stock  which  grows  and  spreads  till  it  shelters 
“all  fowl  of  every  wing  ” — by  which  is  prefigured  the 
ingathering  of  all  nations.  Certainly  no  such  gath¬ 
ering  of  the  nations  was  found  under  any  branch 
planted  in  Zion,  during  the  continuance  of  the  old 
theocracy.  This  cedar  branch  must  be  the  branch  of 
which  we  have  already  so  often  heard. 

[Ch.  34;  23—31.] 

After  denouncing  the  shepherds  of  Israel  who 
feed  themselves  and  not  the  flock,  and  promising  to 


120  EZEKIEL.  [PERIOD 

gather  again  the  scattered  flock,  Jehovah  says,  I 
will  set  up  one  shepherd  over  them,  and  he  shall  feed 
them,  even  my  servant  David.”  A  covenant  of 
peace  shall  be  established  so  that  the  flock  may  dwell 
safely  even  in  the  wilderness.  “  And  they  shall  no 
more  be  a  prey  to  the  heathen,  neither  shall  the 
beast  of  the  land  devour  them  ;  but  they  shall  dwell 
safely,  and  none  shall  make  them  afraid.  And  I  will 
raise  up  for  them  a  plant  of  renown,”  etc. 

There  is  evident  allusion  here  to  that  reign  of 
peace  and  prosperity  which  is  yet  only  begun,  and 
which  shall  be  fully  realized  only  when  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  shall  have  filled  the  world.  The  good 
Shepherd  is  gathering  in  his  flock,  and  he  will  feed 
them,  and  lead  them  unto  green  pastures  and  living 
waters. 


[Ch.  36:  23—32.] 

Here,  as  in  chapter  11,  we  have  a  promise  of  that 
regeneration  which  Christ  declared  to  be  indispensa¬ 
ble  for  admittance  into  his  kingdom.  God  will  not 
sufler  Israel  to  receive  that  entire  destruction  which 
they  deserve.  For  his  ‘‘holy  name’s  sake”  he  will 
gather  the  scattered  remnants  of  his  j»eople  out  of  all 
countries,  sprinkle  them  with  clean  water  and  purify 
them  from  all  their  filthiness  and  idols.  “A  new 
heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put 
within  you :  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out 
of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh 


IV.] 


121 


EZEKIEL. 

And  I  will  put  my  spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you 
to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  judg¬ 
ments  and  do  them.” 

The  gathering  from  all  countries,  and  the  dispen¬ 
sation  of  the  spirit,  as  well  as  the  change  of  heart 
that  shall  be  peculiar  to  that  time,  mark  the  predic¬ 
tion  as  referring  to  the  Christian  dispensation. 

[Ch.  37:  21—28.] 

Here  the  prophet  is  bidden  to  repeat  the  promise 
of  the  ^‘new  covenant”  and  the  ‘‘one  Shepherd,” 
who  is  also  called  “my  servant  David.”  Israel  and 
Judah  shall  be  united  as  one  tribe,  “And  David  mv 
servant  shall  be  king  over  them ;  and  they  all  shall 
have  one  shepherd :  and  they  shall  also  walk  in  my 
judgments,  and  observe  my  statutes,  and  do  them. 
And  they  shall  dwell  in  the  land  that  I  have  given 
unto  Jacob  my  servant,  wherein  your  fathers  have 
dwelt;  and  they  shall  dwell  therein,  even  they  and 
their  children,  and  their  children’s  children  forever  : 
and  my  servant  David  shall  be  their  prince  forever. 
Moreover,  I  will  make  a  covenant  of  peace  with 
them ;  it  shall  be  an  everlasting  covenant  with 
them :  and  I  will  place  them,  and  multiply  them, 
and  will  set  my  sanctuary  in  the  midst  of  them  for 
evermore.” 

Christ,  as  the  descendant  of  David  who  would 
give  permanence  to  his  throne,  and  in  whom  his  fam¬ 
ily  should  end,  is  rightly  called  David.  He  has  been 

11 


122 


EZEKIEL. 


[PERIOD 


also  promised  as  a  “  covenant  for  the  people.”  Cer¬ 
tainly  this  shepherd  and  servant  David,  this  everlast¬ 
ing  covenant  of  peace,  and  final  permanent  settlement 
of  Israel  and  Judah  ^‘for  evermore,”  implies  more 
than  could  have  been  realized  in  the  comparatively 
brief  and  restless  period  between  the  restoration  and 
the  Roman  destruction.  Israel  and  Judah  have  yet 
a  birth-right  in  this  prediction.  David,  the  shep¬ 
herd,  has  introduced  the  everlasting  covenant  of 
peace,  and  the  true  Israel  shall  yet  see  the  complete 
fulfilment  of  these  promises. 

[Ch.  40 - 48.] 

These  obscure  chapters  may  be  profitably  studied 
in  this  connection  as  probably  an  allegorical  descrip¬ 
tion  of  the  Christian  church  in  its  final  completeness. 

The  vision  of  the  holy  waters,  in  chapter  47,  is 
certainly  a  beautiful  type  of  the  gradually  increasing, 
life-giving  influence  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the 
world.  Issuing  from  under  the  Temple  these  waters 
flow  away  with  an  ever  increasing  stream  to  the  sea 
of  death,  sweetening  even  its  bitter  depths.  Upon 
either  bank  of  the  stream  shall  grow  all  trees  for 
meat,  whose  leaf  shall  not  fade,  neither  shall  the  fruit 
thereof  be  consumed :  it  shall  bring  forth  new  fruits 
according  to  his  months,  because  their  waters  they 
issued  out  of  the  sanctuary  ;  and  the  fruit  thereof 
shall  be  for  meat,  and  the  leaf  thereof  for  medicine.” 

John,  in  his  Revelation  22 :  1 — 3,  sees  the  same 


DANIEL. 


123 


IV.] 


river  gushing  out  from  the  throne  of  God  in  the 
heavenly  city ;  the  trees  of  life  upon  its  banks  still 
verdant  with  healing  leaves,  and  bearing  their 
monthly  fruit. 

The  visions  of  Ezekel  and  of  John  still  await  their 
complete  fulfilment.  The  city,  the  Temple,  and  the 
immortal  river  still  gleam  in  the  eye  of  faith. 


DANIEL. 

The  period  now  under  review  closes  with  Daniel, 
that  noble  cotemporary  of  Ezekiel,  most  favored  by 
fortune  of  all  the  prophets. 

Carried  to  Babylon  when  a  child,  he  grew  up  and 
lived  in  exile,  a  favorite  of  the  Chaldeans.  Favored 
also  of  heaven  above  most  men  he  preserved  his 
attachment  to  his  religion  and  his  fidelity  to  his  God, 
who  proved  to  him  a  friend  indeed. 

He  was  peculiarly  the  prophet  of  the  exile,  living 
through  it,  and  finishing  his  ministry  after  the  decree 
of  Cyrus  for  the  restoration. 

The  accuracy  with  which  he  predicted  the  time 
of  Messiah’s  advent,  though  proof  of  his  clear  pro¬ 
phetic  vision,  has  subjected  him  to  the  fierce  attacks 
of  the  later  Jews  and  other  sceptics  who  are  unwil¬ 
ling  to  find  his  predictions  fulfilled  in  Jesus  Christ. 
The  older  Jews,  Josephus  among  them,  regarded  him 
as  one  of  the  greatest  of  the  prophets.  But  since 
his  claim  to  such  regard  has  been  substantiated  by 
the  fulfilment  of  his  predictions,  they  have  sought  to 


DANIEL. 


124 


[period 


detract  from  him,  and  class  him  among  the  later  and 
uninspired  writers. 

Christ  confirms  his  prophetic  inspiration  in  Matt. 
24 :  15,  Mark  13 :  14.  When  ye  shall  see  the 
abomination  of  desolation,  spoken  of  by  Daniel  the 
prophet,”  etc.  And  even  without  this  divine  testi¬ 
mony,  his  inspiration  is  indisputable. 

Daniel’s  visions  are  on  a  collossal  scale.  His 
dreams  cover  kingdoms  and  dynasties.  If  he  takes 
note  of  time,  it  is  in  days  and  weeks  of  years  that  he 
measures  it. 

It  has  been  truly  remarked  that  visions  of  Mes¬ 
siah  interpenetrate  the  wdiole  book  of  Daniel.  But 
at  present  we  shall  notice  only  three  or  four  different 
visions  as  undoubtedly  Messianic. 


[Ch.  2:  31— 45.] 

The  first  of  these  is  found  in  Nebuchadnezzar’s 
dream,  and  its  interpretation.  The  troubled  king 
demands  that  his  wise  men  reveal  and  interpret  to 
him  his  forgotten  dream.  The  magicians,  astrologers, 
and  sorcerers  fail.  But  the  God  of  heaven  in  a 
vision  reveals  to  Daniel  the  dream  and  its  intepreta- 
tion.  ‘‘  Thou,  0  king,  sawest,  and  behold  a  great 
image.  This  great  image,  whose  brightness  was  ex¬ 
cellent,  stood  before  thee ;  and  the  form  thereof  was 
terrible.  The  image’s  head  was  of  fine  gold,  his 
breast  and  his  arms  of  silver,  his  belly  and  his  thighs 
(sides)  of  brass,  his  legs  of  iron,  his  feet  part  of  iron 


IV.] 


DANIEL. 


125 


and  part  of  clay.  Thou  sawest  till  that  a  stone  was 
cut  out  without  hands,  which  smote  the  image  upon 
his  feet  that  were  of  iron  and  clay,  and  brake  them 
to  pieces.  Then  was  the  iron,  the  clay,  the  brass, 
the  silver,  and  the  gold  broken  to  pieces  together,  and 
became  like  the  chaif  of  the  summer  threshing  floors ; 
and  the  wind  carried  them  away,  that  no  place  was 
found  for  them ;  and  the  stone  that  smote  the  image 
became  a  great  mountain,  and  filled  the  whole  earth. 
This  is  the  dream.’' 

According  to  the  interpretation  revealed  to  Dan¬ 
iel,  the  different  parts  of  the  image  represent  so 
many  different  kings  or  kingdoms.  After  the  over¬ 
throw  of  these  four  great  kingdoms,  say  the  Chal¬ 
dean,  Persian,  Macedonian,  and  Roman,  which  shall 
be  broken  to  pieces  and  ground  to  powder  b}'  the 
stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hand/  this 
stone  shall  itself  become  a  great  mountain  and  fill  the 
whole  earth.  That  is,  “the  God  of  heaven  Siall  set 
up  a  kingdom,  which  shall  never  be  destroys  i :  and 
the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to  other  people,  but  it 
shall  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  these  kiiigdoms, 
and  it  shall  stand  forever.  Forasmuch  as  thou  saw- 
est  that  the  stone  was  cut  out  of  the  mountain  with¬ 
out  hands,  and  that  it  brake  in  pieces  the  iron,  the 
brass,  the  clay,  the  silver,  and  the  gold ;  the  great 
God  hath  made  known  to  the  king  what  shr  Jl  come 
to  pass  hereafter.” 

The  aptness  of  this  image  as  a  type  of  the  four 
11* 


126  DANIEL.  [PERIOD 

kingdoms  spoken  of  above,  and  their  overthrow  by 
the  kingdom  of  righteousness  set  up  by  the  God  of 
heaven  in  the  person  of  Christ,  forbid  that  any 
Christian  should  doubt  the  ancient  Jewish  interpreta¬ 
tion  which  regarded  the  stone  that  becomes  a  moun¬ 
tain  and  fills  the  world  as  the  anointed  branch  of 
David.  Or  taking  it  as  a  type  of  Christ’s  kingdom, 
rather  than  of  his  person,  how  aptly  does  the 
increasing  stone  describe  the  progressive  course  of 
Christianity,  which  seems  to  be  now  crushing  the 
toes  of  clay  and  iron”  and  fast  filling  the  world. 


[Ch.  7 :  13,  14.] 

In  another  dream  Daniel  sees  four  beasts  repre¬ 
senting  the  same  kingdoms  as  the  different  parts  of 
‘^the  image”  represented  above.  Their  dominion  is 
broken  by  the  ‘‘Ancient  of  days,”  and  dominion  is 
given  to  the  “  Son  of  man.” 

“  I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and,  behold,  one  like 
the  Son  of  man  (intimating  his  humanity)  came  with 
the  clouds  of  heaven  (intimating  his  divinity),  and 
came  to  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  they  brought  him 
near  before  him.  And  there  was  given  him  dominion, 
and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations, 
and  languages  should  serve  him :  his  dominion  is  an 
everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and 
his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed.” 

This  were  a  strange  vision  to  apply  to  any  tem¬ 
poral  and  merely  human  ruler.  What  king  of  earth, 


IV.] 


DANIEL. 


127 


robed  in  clouds,  goes  to  the  Ancient  of  days  and 
receives  from  him  eternal,  unlimited  dominion  ?  Only 
that  ‘‘Son  of  man,’’  whose  “kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world,”  can  realize  this  vision.” 

The  latter  part  of  the  chapter  indicates  the 
manner  in  which  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall, 
as  the  organs  of  this  regal  Son  of  man,  obtain  victory 
over  the  world  and  participate  in  his  everlasting 
dominion. 

“  These  great  beasts,  which  are  four,  are  four 
kings,  which  shall  arise  out  of  the  earth.  But  the 
saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take  the  kingdom,  and 
possess  the  kingdom  forever,  even  forever  and  ever.” 
The  little  horn  of  the  fourth  beast  “  made  war  with 
the  saints,  and  prevailed  against  them ;  until  the 
Ancient  of  days  came,  and  judgment  was  given  to 
the  saints  of  the  Most  High ;  and  the  time  came  that 
the  saints  possessed  the  kingdom.”  . . .  “  And  the  king¬ 
dom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom 
under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people 
of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an 
everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall  serve 
and  obey  him.”  “Blessed  are  the  meek,”  said 
Christ,  “for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth.”  And 
again,  of  himself  he  says,  “  All  power  is  given  unto 
me  in  heaven  and  in  earth.”  If  further  confirmation 
of  the  Messianic  character  of  this  vision  is  needed, 
let  Eph.  1 :  18 — 23  be  studied ;  “  That  ye  may  know 
what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and  what  the  riches 


128  DANIEL.  [PERIOD 

of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints,  and  what 
is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  powxr  to  us-w^ard 
w^ho  believe,  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty 
powder,  w’hich  he  WTOught  in  Christ,  Avhen  he  raised 
him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand 
in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  all  principality,  and 
powder,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that 
is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that 
which  is  to  come :  and  hath  put  all  things  under  his 
feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to 
the  church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that 
filleth  all  in  all.” 

• 

[Ch.  9:  24—27.] 

In  the  sixty-ninth  year  of  the  captivity  and  the 
five  hundred  and  thirty-eighth  B.  C.,  Daniel,  in  stu¬ 
dying  the  writings  of  Jeremiah,  becomes  impressed 
with  the  truth  that  the  Chaldean  bondage  w^as  to  last 
but  70  years;  and  hence  that  it  was  near  its  end. 
Encouraged  by  this  he  prays  fervently  to  God  to 
remember  and  deliver  his  people.  In  answer  to  his 
prayer,  Gabriel  addresses  him  in  vision,  assuring  him 
that  deliverance  is  at  hand.  With  this  assurance  is 
given  one  of  the  most  striking  predictions  of  that 
greater  salvation,  of  which  deliverance  from  Chal¬ 
dean  bondage  is  but  a  type. 

As  a  great  variety  of  translations  and  interpreta¬ 
tions  have  been  proposed  for  this  remarkable  predic¬ 
tion,  and  as  the  interpretation  depends  mainly  upon 


IV.] 


DANIEL. 


129 


the  translation  adopted,  it  may  be  well  to  insert  here 
one  of  the  best  of  recent  translations,  that  of  Stuart 
in  his  commentary  on  Daniel : 

“  Seventy  weeks  arc  decided  respecting  thy  peo¬ 
ple  and  thy  holy  city  to  restrain  transgression,  and  to 
seal  up  sin,  and  to  expiate  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in 
everlasting  righteousness,  and  to  seal  a  vision  and 
prophecy,  and  to  anoint  a  Holy  of  holies. 

Mark  well  and  understand ;  from  the  going  forth 
of  a  command  to  rebuild  Jerusalem  unto  an  Anointed 
one,  a  prince,  shall  be  seven  weeks — and  sixty  and 
two  weeks  shall  it  be  rebuilt,  with  broad  spaces  and 
narrow  limits  and  in  troublous  times.  And  after 
sixty  and  two  weeks  an  Anointed  one  shall  be  cut  off, 
and  there  shall  be  none  for  it  (the  people),  and  the 
city  and  the  sanctuary  shall  the  people  of  a  prince 
that  will  come  destroy :  but  his  end  shall  be  with  an 
overwhelming  flood  and  unto  the  end  shall  be  war,  a 
decreed  measure  of  desolations.  And  he  shall  firmly 
covenant  with  many  for  one  week ;  and  during  half 
of  the  week  shall  he  cause  the  sacrifice  and  oblation 
to  cease ;  and  a  master  shall  be  over  a  winged  fowl 
of  abomination ;  but  unto  destruction,  even  that  which 
is  decreed,  shall  there  be  an  outpouring  upon  him  who 
is  to  be  destroyed.” 

The  above  translation  is  introduced  here  partly 
because  its  autlior  docs  not  adopt  the  exclusively 
Messianic  interpretation,  and  hence  cannot  be  preju¬ 
diced  in  favor  of  our  present  purpose. 


130  DANIEL.  [PERIOD 

Whatever  translation  be  adopted  the  general 
impression  made  upon  the  reader  is  the  same.  No 
unprejudiced  mind  can  fail  to  see  here  a  remarkable 
prediction  of  the  time  that  is  to  intervene  between 
the  Babylonish  captivity  and  the  introduction  of  a 
new  dispensation  by  Messiah. 

The  first  question  that  arises  upon  the  reading  of 
this  passage  respects  the  weeks  mentioned.  For  the 
following,  among  other  reasons,  nearly  all  interpreters 
regard  the  weeks  spoken  of  as  periods  each  of  seven 
years. 

It  is  intimated  that  the  seventy  weeks  are  to  be 
in  some  sense  a  compensation  for  the  seventy  years 
exile.  But  seventy  common  weeks  of  prosperity 
Avould  be  no  consideration  for  seventy  years  of  suf¬ 
fering.  Moreover,  the  great  events  that  are  to  occur 
within  the  specified  period  demand  that  it  be  much 
more  than  seventy  ordinary  weeks.  Again,  the  cap¬ 
tivity  of  seventy  years  evidently  had  reference  to  the 
sabbatic  years,  or  seven-year  weeks  of  the  Hebrews. 
Hence,  in  the  specification  of  a  period  by  weeks,  we 
should  naturally  expect  a  reference  to  those  weeks  of 
years  which  had  figured  so  largely  in  Hebrew  history. 
Seven,  seventy  and  seven  times  seventy  were  sacred 
numbers,  and  the  latter,  seven  times  seventy  years, 
the  period  supposed  to  be  designated  in  this  predic¬ 
tion,  completed  the  great  cycle  at  the  end  of  which 
debts  were  cancelled,  slaves  emancipated  and  for¬ 
feited  lands  restored  to  the  original  proprietors.  In 


DANIEL. 


131 


JV.] 

other  words  seventy  weeks  of  seven  years  each 
brought  about  the  great  jubilee. 

At  the  close  of  the  seventy  weeks,  in  the  passage 
before  us,  shall  come  the  finishing  of  transgression, 
the  atonement  for  sins,  the  introduction  of  a  new 
dispensation,  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy,  and  the 
anointing  of  the  Most  Holy.  What  jubilee  were 
great  in  comparison  with  such  an  epoch  ? 

The  next  question  of  time  respects  the  beginning 
and  close  of  the  seventy  weeks. 

Respecting  this  there  has  been,  and  perhaps  ever 
will  be,  diversity  of  opinion.  Some  have  fixed  upon 
the  edict  of  Cyrus  for  the  restoration  of  the  Jews, 
others  upon  that  of  Darius ;  most  fix  upon  the  first 
decree  of  Artaxerxes  in  his  seventh  year,  and  some 
upon  his  second  decree  and  its  fulfilment  by  Nehe- 
miah  in  the  twentieth  year  of  Artaxerxes’  reign. 
Others  declare  that  insuperable  objections  lie  against 
each  of  these  points  of  time,  and  leave  us  in  entire 
suspense  relative  to  the  starting  point. 

Generally,  the  calculator  starts  at  the  other  end, 
the  supposed  termination  of  the  seventy  weeks,  and 
reckons  backwards  to  find  the  beginning.  But  here 
also  arises  a  difiiculty.  Some  interpreters  refer  the 
appearance  of  Messiah  to  his  birth,  others  to  his 
baptism  and  entrance  upon  his  public  ministry,  while 
others  still  deny  that  any  definite  allusion  is  made  to 
either  event.  Differences  also  arise  in  the  computa- 
1ir)n  from  the  use  of  solar  time  by  one,  and  lunar  by 


132 


DANIEL. 


[PERIOD 

another.  It  is,  moreover,  disputed  whether  the 
sacrifice  and  oblation  ceased  when  the  great  sac¬ 
rifice  of  Christ  was  offered,  or  whether  it  was  when 
the  abomination  of  desolation  was  erected  by  the 
Romans,  or  whether  the  reference  is  not  to  the  sup¬ 
pression  of  the  temple  service  by  Antiochus,  and  the 
erection  of  the  statue  of  Jupiter  Olympus  upon  the 
altar  of  the  Temple.  The  winged  fowl  of  abomina¬ 
tion  in  Stuart’s  translation  is  of  course,  in  that  case, 
the  eagle,  bird  of  Jupiter. 

Lastly,  interpreters  differ  respecting  the  Messiah 
or  anointed  one,  who  is  to  be  cut  off  after  three  score 
and  two  weeks ;  some  claiming  that  this  person  is  the 
same  as  the  Prince  Messiah,  others  that  it  w^as  the 
priest  Onias. 

Such  are  the  diflBculties  and  disagreements  re¬ 
specting  this  prophecy.  The  present  writer  has  no 
desire  to  conceal  them,  and  no  design  to  increase 
them  by  proposing  new  theories.  But  let  not  the 
reader  surmise  that  the  prediction  is,  therefore,  unin¬ 
telligible  and  useless  for  our  purpose.  Obscure  as  it 
is,  it  throws  more  prophetic  light  upon  the  time  of 
the  advent  than  any  other  prediction.  Both  Jews 
and  Christians,  with  the  exception  of  those  who  are 
determined  not  to  admit  a  clear  prediction  of  Jesus 
Christ,  have  ever  found  here  specification  of  the  time 
of  Messiah’s  advent. 

It  is  agreed  by  all  believers  in  Messianic  pro¬ 
phecy,  that  the  seventy  weeks  were  weeks  of  years. 


IV.] 


DANIEL. 


133 


That  the  Most  Holy  or  Holy  of  holies  refers  to  the 
new  temple  or  spiritual  dispensation  of  Messiah. 
That  ‘‘the  Messiah  the  Prince”  is  Emmanuel,  and 
that  it  is  here  predicted  that  he  should  appear  about 
four  hundred  and  ninety  years  after  the  captivity. 
Upon  this  the  Jews  in  and  before  the  days  of  Christ 
founded  their  calculations. 

As  to  the  difficulty  attending  the  determination 
of  the  precise  time  spoken  of,  it  may  be  remarked 
that  it  probably  was  not  God’s  purpose  clearly  and 
definitely  to  reveal  the  time.  He  ever  left  room  for 
study  and  faith.  And  despite  all  the  obscurity  and 
disagreement  attending  the  interpretation,  interpre¬ 
ters  have  never  been  able  to  get  far  enough  apart  to 
affect  materially  the  value  of  this  passage.  Their 
calculations  all  bring  out  the  last  of  the  seventy 
weeks  somewhere  between  the  birth  of  Christ  and  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Romans.  The  dif¬ 
ference  is  a  mere  trifle.  Each  calculator  manages  to 
find  plausible  arguments  and  coincidences  for  his 
reckoning ;  and  since  they  all  point  to  the  age  of 
Jesus  as  about  the  time  foretold  by  Daniel  for  the 
advent  of  the  Messiah  the  Prince,  we  need  not  quar¬ 
rel  over  the  slight  disagreements. 

The  fact  that  the  Jews  have  felt  compelled  either 
to  admit  the  fulfilment  of  this  prediction  in  Christ,  or 
to  renounce  the  authority  and  deny  the  inspiration  of 
Daniel,  and  have  chosen  the  latter  alternative,  shows 
that  the  discrepancies  between  different  calculators 

12 


134  DANIEL.  [period 

are  of  slight  consequence,  and  that  the  difficulty  is 
not  in  the  prediction,  but  in  our  partial  knowledge  of 
the  facts  in  the  fulfilment. 

As  a  sample  of  the  calculations  based  on  this  pre¬ 
diction  an  abstract  of  Hengstenberg’s  is  subjoined: 

‘‘Notwithstanding  the  former  decrees  and  the 
efforts  of  the  Jews  to  rebuild  their  city,  the  ‘  troub¬ 
lous  times '  retarded  them  so  that  in  fact  J erusalem 
was  not  rebuilt  until  the  time  of  Artaxerxes’  second 
decree  in  the  twentieth  year  of  his  reign.  This 
twentieth  of  Artaxerxes  was  the  four  hundred  and 
fifty-fifth  B.  C.  Seven  weeks  and  three  score  and 
two  weeks,  or  sixty-nine  weeks  from  this  decree,  i.  e. 
four  hundred  and  eighty-three  years,  bring  us  to  the 
time  of  Christ’s  baptism  and  entry  upon  his  public 
ministry.  Add  one  week  or  seven  years  to  483  = 
490.  This  one  week,  in  which  the  ‘  covenant  was  to 
be  confirmed  with  many,’  and  in  the  midst  of  which 
‘  the  sacrifice  and  oblation  should  cease,’  embraces 
the  public  ministry  of  Christ,  three  and  a  half  years, 
and  leaves  three  and  a  half  years  ‘  to  confirm  the 
covenant  ’  by  the  preaching  of  the  apostles  and  the 
dispensation  of  the  spirit.” 

In  conclusion,  let  the  reader  note  the  name  here 
given  to  the  promised  Prince.  It  is  not  an  anointed 
simply  in  a  qualified  sense,  as  Cyrus  is  in  one  place 
called  God’s  anointed.  It  is  the  Messiah  the  Prince 
— one  who  can  restrain  transgression,  seal  up  sin, 
expiate  iniquity,  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness. 


IV.] 


DANIEL. 


135 


seal  vision  and  prophecy,  and  anoint  a  Holy  of 
holies :  achievements  which  are  altogether  above  the 
capacity  of  mortal.  Such  an  one  shall  appear  about 
490  years  after  the  decree  to  restore  and  to  build 
Jerusalem.  Such  a  specification  of  numbers  is  rare 
in  prophecy ;  though  there  are  other  cases,  e.  g. 
Jeremiah’s  prediction  that  the  captivity  should  last 
seventy  years.  Jer.  25  :  11,  and  29  :  10. 

Chapter  12  is  worthy  of  study  in  this  connection, 
although  its  Messianic  reference  is  not  so  clear  as  the 
above.  ‘^Michael,  the  great  prince  which  standeth 
for  the  children  of  thy  people,”  shall  stand  up  in  a 
time  of  trouble ;  and  at  that  time  thy  people  shall 
be  delivered  every  one  that  shall  be  found  written  in 
the  book.  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust 
of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and 
some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt.  And  they 
that  be  wise  (teachers)  shall  shine  as  the  brightness 
of  the  firmament ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  right¬ 
eousness,  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever.” 

Here  the  prophet  receives  an  intimation  of  the 
final  resurrection,  judgment,  and  eternal  retribution  : 
and  the  connection,  as  well  as  the  name  and  office, 
suggests  the  probability  that  this  Michael  is  no 
created  angel,  but  that  covenant  Angel  into  whose 
hands  ^^the  Father  hath  committed  all  judgment.” 

Thus  did  this  great  prophet  overlook  the  long 
ages  of  earth,  and  see  in  vision  the  final  consummation 
of  the  mediatorial  work.  Happy  is  he  who,  like 


I 


136  DANIEL. 

Daniel,  at  the  close  of  his  earthly  commission,  can 
hear  the  voice  of  his  Lord  saying,  ‘‘  Go  thy  way  till 
the  end  be,  for  thou  shalt  rest,  and  stand  in  thy  lot 
at  the  end  of  the  days.” 

So  closes  the  Chaldean  period  of  prophecy.  The 
captive  exile  no  longer  sits  weeping  by  the  rivers  of 
Babylon.  Westward  again  wends  the  star  of  pro¬ 
phecy,  now  a  waning  star. 


I 


PERIOD  V. 


PERIOD  OF  THE  RESTORATION. 


About  Jerusalem  now  gather  returning  Jews  to 
build  again  their  temple  and  city.  They  find  desolation 
and  discouragement.  Their  numbers  and  resources  are 
limited.  Enemies  oppose  and  harrass  them.  Their 
best  endeavors  fall  so  far  below  their  ideal  that  they 
become  discouraged  and  disheartened.  *  Some  are  also 
reckless  and  indifferent.  Occupied  with  their  own 
personal  interests,  eager  to  make  a  good  settlement, 
they  forget  their  obligations  to  Him  who  had  restored 
them  to  their  beloved  land,  and  refuse  to  build  upon 
his  temple.  These  are  hard  and  troublous  times,  and 
the  work  goes  slowly  and  sadly  on. 

At  this  juncture  of  affairs  arises  a  little  constella¬ 
tion  of  prophets  to  encourage  and  urge  on  the 
rebuilding  of  the  city  and  temple,  and,  as  the  event 
proved,  to  close  the  book  of  prophecy. 

The  captivity  cured  the  Jews  of  all  tendency  to 
pagan  idolatry.  Let  them  be  once  more  fairly  rein¬ 
stated  in  their  country,  and  get  their  religious  institu- 

12* 


138 


HAGGAI. 


[PEEIOD 


tions  well  established,  and  it  may  be  presumed  that, 
even  without  the  continued  ministration  of  inspired 
prophets,  they  would,  at  least,  for  four  or  five  centu¬ 
ries,  maintain  the  true  religion.  These  last  prophets 
and  their  coadjutors  make  provision  for  such  a  state 
of  things  by  urging  on  the  reconstruction  of  the 
Temple,  re-establishing  the  ancient  worship  of  God, 
building  synagogues,  and  multiplying  copies  of  the 
Law  and  the  Prophets  ;  and  by  pointing  the  people 
still  forward  to  a  brighter  era  and  a  greater  leader. 
Had  the  book  of  prophecy  closed  with  the  exile,  the 
tendency  would  have  been  to  seek  the  fulfilment  of 
Messianic  prophecy  in  Cyrus,  Zerubbabel,  and  others 
who  figured  prominently  in  the  restoration.  To 
prevent  this,  inspired  seers  still  point  to  the  future ; 
and  the  last  of  this  noble  order  closes  his  commission 
with  a  prediction  of  a  prophetic  messenger  yet  to 
arise  as  the  herald  of  Messiah. 

HAGGAI. 

Haggai  leads  the  way  in  this  new  era  as  the 
helper  of  Zerubbabel  the  governor,  and  of  Joshua 
the  high  priest.  Upon  the  subject  of  our  present 
studies  he  throws  but  a  single  flash  of  light ;  in  that, 
however,  there  is  much  of  promise.  The  occasion  of 
his  message  is  the  grief  of  the  people  on  account  of 
the  inferiority  of  the  new  temple  which  they  are 
building  in  contrast  with  the  old  temple  which  some 
of  them  had  seen  in  its  glory.  To  console  them  he 


V.] 


HAGGAI. 


139 


is  commissioned  to  predict  something  of  the  glory 
that  shall  yet  crown  this  temple  which  now  seems  as 
nothing  in  their  eyes. 

fCh.  2:  6—9.] 

For  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts :  yet  once  it  is 
a  little  while,  and  I  will  shake  the  heavens,  and  the 
earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the  dry  land ;  and  I  will 
shake  all  nations,  and  the  desire  of  all  nations  shall 
come :  and  I  will  fill  this  house  with  glory,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts.  .  .  .  The  glory  of  this  latter  house 
shall  be  greater  than  of  the  former,  saith  the  Lord 
of  hosts :  and  in  this  place  will  I  give  peace,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts.”  From  Heb.  12:  26,  27,  we 
learn  that  this  shaking  of  the  nations,  the  earth,  and 
the  heavens,  ^‘signifies  the  removing”  of  the  old  dis¬ 
pensation  with  whatever  else  may  be  shaken,  and  the 
introduction  of  the  kingdom  of  Jesus,  the  mediator 
of  the  new  covenant,  a  kingdom  which  cannot  be 
moved.  According  to  this  interpreter  the  establish¬ 
ment  of  Christianity  is  a  far  more  trying  and  sifting 
process  than  was  the  giving  of  the  law.  The  earth 
shook  when  God  came  down  on  Sinai.  The  universe 
shakes  when  Christ  comes  down  to  build  his  kingdom. 
The  Gospel  tries  everything,  shakes  everything,  and 
shakes  down  whatever  is  not  stable  and  divine.  And 
when  idolatries  and  tyrannies  shall  have  fallen,  the 
regenerated  nations  shall  come  to  the  new  temple, 
bringing  their  desire  (objects  of  desire,  treasures)  to 


140  ZECHARIAH.  [PERIOD 

beautify  and  render  glorious  that  house  where  the 
Lord  himself  will  dispense  peace. 

The  ninth  or  last  verse  of  this  prediction  has 
been  generally  regarded  as  a  promise  that  Christ 
would  appear  before  the  destruction  of  this  second 
temple  and  glorify  it  by  his  presence,  as  he  did.  And 
as  his  presence  was  greater  than  the  shekinah  or 
aught  else  that  pertained  to  the  old  temple,  ‘Hhe 
glory  of  this  latter  house  was,  in  this  respect, 
‘‘greater  than  of  the  former.'’ 

The  prediction  may  be  regarded  as  yet  but  par¬ 
tially  fulfilled.  There  is  now  a  shaking  among  the 
nations,  and  the  desire  of  the  heathen  is  coming ;  the 
“shaking,"  the  “glory,"  and  the  “peace"  shall  yet 
be  greater. 


.  ZECHARIAH. 

Haggai  was  but  the  herald  of  a  brighter  star  who 
joined  him  in  the  same  work  of  encouraging  a 
desponding  people,  reproving  the  selfish  and  idle,  and 
urging  on  the  rebuilding  of  city  and  temple.  In 
spiritual  things  Zechariah  was  the  master  builder  of 
this  era.  Amid  his  rebukes,  warnings,  and  encour¬ 
agements  he  mingles  freely  predictions  of  that  Mes¬ 
siah  who  is  to  appear  in  due  time  to  glorify  Zion,  and 
receive  into  his  kingdom  all  the  pure  and  devout. 
Excepting  Isaiah,  no  other  prophet  has  such  definite 
and  marked  delineations  of  the  Messiah  and  his  medi¬ 
atorial  work.  Zechariah  gives  striking  intimations 


ZECHARIAH. 


141 


V.] 

of  Christ’s  participation  in  the  divine  nature,  of  his 
uniting  in  himself  the  regal  and  the  sacerdotal  oflBces, 
of  his  triumphal  entry  into  Jerusalem  upon  an  ass, 
of  his  betrayal  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  his  death, 
the  unbelief  of  the  Jews,  and  of  their  final  repent¬ 
ance  and  restoration. 

In  many  of  his  Messianic  predictions  there  is, 
doubtless,  a  lower  reference  to  Joshua  and  Zerubba- 
bel  as  types  of  Christ  to  whom  the  predictions  mainly 
refer. 

The  first  and  second  chapters  of  this  book  are 
generally  regarded  as  containing  allusions  to  Christ 
and  the  new  dispensation.  But  as  there  is  no  clearly 
defined  feature  of  this  kind  they  may  be  passed  over 
with  the  remark  that  the  rider  on  the  red  horse” 
may  be,  and  the  man  with  the  measuring  line” 
doubtless  is,  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  or  covenant  angel 
of  Israel,  who  is  to  enlarge  and  beautify  Jerusalem 
and  make  it  the  seat  of  his  dominion. 


[Gh.  3:  8—10.] 

Behold,  I  will  bring  forth  my  servant  the 
Branch.”  Here  is  a  renewal  of  the  promise  made 
through  Isaiah  200  years  before ;  Is.  11 :  1.  The 
branch  is  so  often  spoken  of,  in  connection  with  the 
prospects  of  the  theocracy,  that  we  cannot  easily 
doubt  to  whom  it  refers.  It  is  significant  here  as 
showing  that  the  Branch”  was  some  one  yet  to 
come,  and  hence  not  Zerubbabel  or  any  one  of  those 


142  ZECHARIAH.  [PERIOD 

^sho  figured  in  the  restoration  from  Babylon.  They 
had  come  and  acted  or  were  then  acting  their  part. 
But  this  servant  of  God  and  branch  of  Jesse  were 
yet  to  come  for  a  future  restoration. 

^‘For,  behold,  the  stone  that  I  have  laid  before 
Joshua;  upon  one  stone  shall  be  seven  eyes:  behold, 
I  will  engrave  the  graving  thereof,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  and  I  will  remove  the  iniquity  of  the  land  in 
one  day.” 

The  prostrate  theocracy  is  likened  to  a  rough 
stone,  upon  which  the  attentive  providence  of  God  is 
directed  as  with  seven  eyes  ;  and  when  the  Branch 
appears  he  will  polish  and  grave  it,  removing  its 
iniquity  in  one  day. 

Then  shall  follow  the  longed  for  era  of  peace 
when  every  man  shall  call  (invite)  his  neighbor 
under  the  vine  and  under  the  fig-tree,  saith  the  Lord 
of  hosts.” 

[Ch.  4.] 

A  golden  candlestick  miraculously  supplied  with 
oil,  as  a  type  of  Zerubbabel  sustained  and  carried 
forward  in  his  diflScult  enterprise,  ‘^not  by  might,  nor 
by  power,  but  by  my  spirit  saith  the  Lord,”  seems 
also,  as  does  Zerubbabel  himself,  to  be  a  type  of  that 
greater  builder  before  whom  every  “  great  mountain 
shall  become  a  plain;”,  and  who  shall  bring  forth 
the  headstone”  of  his  spiritual  temple  with  shout¬ 
ings  of  grace,  grace  unto  it.” 


ZECHARIAH. 


143 


V.] 

[Ch.  6 :  9—15.] 

Here  is  a  symbolical  transaction  in  which  the 
prophet  is  bidden  to  crown  Joshua  the  high  priest 
with  two  crowns.  One  of  these  crowns  may  be 
regarded  *as  representing  the  sacerdotal  office,  and  the 
other  the  regal.  Having  thus  doubly  crowned  Joshua, 
he  bids  the  people  look  upon  him  as  a  type  of  the 
man  whose  name  is  the  Branch  :  and  ‘‘  he  shall  grow 
up  out  of  his  place,  and  he  shall  build  the  temple  of 
the  Lord :  even  he  shall  build  the  temple  of  the 
Lord ;  and  he  shall  bear  the  glory,  and  shall  sit  and 
rule  upon  his  throne,  and  he  shall  be  a  priest  upon 
his  throne  (i.  e.  unite  the  regal  and  priestly  offices) ; 
and  the  counsel  of  peace  shall  be  between  them  both.” 
As  both  king  and  priest,  Melchisedec-like,  he  shall 
be  Prince  of  peace. 

Certainly  it  is  not  the  material  temple  that  this 
Branch  is  to  build.  Zerubbabel  was  already  building 
that,  but  he  was  not  a  priest,  and  hence  could  not  be 
the  Branch.  Joshua  was  priest  but  not  king,  nor  was 
he  the  main  builder  of  the  temple. 

And  they  that  are  far  off  shall  come  and  build 
in  the  temple  of  the  Lord.”  It  cannot  be  doubtful 
who  is  this  royal  priest  who  is  to  gather  and  build  the 
far  off  nations  into  his  living  temple. 


[Ch.  8.] 

In  this  chapter  the  disconsolate  portion  of  the 
people  are  assured  that  such  great  prosperity  and 


144 


ZECHARIAH. 


[PERIOD 


blessings  are  in  store  for  Israel,  that  all  their  days  of 
mourning  shall  be  changed  into  days  of  rejoicing. 
The  richness  of  the  promises,  particularly  in  the 
closing  verses,  indicates  a  reference  to  the  future 
blessedness  of  the  theocracy  under  the  reign  of 
Christ. 

‘‘  Many  people  and  strong  nations  shall  come  to 
seek  the  Lord  of  hosts  in  Jerusalem,  and  to  pray 
before  the  Lord.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  In 
those  days  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  ten  men  shall 
take  hold,  out  of  all  languages  and  nations,  even  shall 
take  hold  of  the  skirt  of  him  that  is  a  Jew,  saying, 
We  will  go  with  you;  for  we  have  heard  that  God  is 
with  you.'’ 

[Ch.  9 :  9,  10.] 

Zion,  saved  from  the  common  ruin  of  other  cities,  * 
is  here  called  upon  to  rejoice  in  the  approach  of  her 
great,  though  lowly,  king  of  righteousness  and  salva¬ 
tion.  The  cause  of  joy  is  no  ordinary  one. 

Rejoice  greatly,  0  daughter  of  Zion  ;  shout,  0 
daughter  of  Jerusalem;  behold,  thy  king  cometh 
unto  thee,  he  is  just  and  having  salvation ;  lowly  and 
riding  upon  an  ass,  and  upon  the  colt  the  foal  of  an 
ass.” 

Before  the  introduction  of  horses  by  Solomon, 
asses  were  sometimes  ridden  by  kings,  but  not  after 
that  time.  Hence,  this  was  unquestionably  signifi¬ 
cant  of  the  humility  of  the  Messiah.  David,  Solo- 


V.] 


ZECHARIAH. 


145 


mon,  and  their  successors  often  entered  Jerusalem 
upon  richly  caparisoned  mules  and  horses,  attended 
by  brilliant  retinues.  Christ,  as  if  in  ridicule  of  all 
the  mock-splendors  of  earthly  kingship,  and  in  con¬ 
tempt  of  the  Jewish  notion  of  a  worldly  Messiah, 
when  the  popular  zeal  in  his  favor  had  reached  its 
climax,  gave  this  prediction  its  accurate  and  literal 
fulfilment.  With  the  loose  coats  of  his  followers, 
instead  of  the  costly  trappings,  spread  upon  an 
,  ungainly  ass  colt,  attended  by  a  vociferating  train  of 
those  whom  his  enemies  regarded  as  the  rabble, 
Zion's  greatest  king  entered  the  proud  city  of  David 
amid  shouts  of  rejoicing.  Matt.  21 :  1 — 10. 

Verse  10  carries  out  the  subject,  depicting  his 
reign  as  universal  and  peaceful.  ‘‘  He  shall  speak 
peace  unto  the  heathen;  and  his  dominion  shall  be 
from  sea  even  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  even  unto 
the  ends  of  the  earth."  The  highest  dignity  and 
universal  dominion  await  the  lowly-minded  king. 

It  may  be  added  respecting  this  prediction,  that 
although  the  humiliation  indicated  was  repugnant  to 
Jewish  pride,  the  Messianic  interpretation  prevailed 
until  the  fulfilment  of  the  passage  by  Christ  became 
notorious.  After  that,  every  device  was  resorted  to 
by  the  Jews  to  wrest  the  passage  from  the  Christians. 
The  Neologists  alone  of  the  professedly  Christian 
church  have  imitated  these  devices  of  the  Jews.  But 
their  general  disagreement  relative  to  the  disposal  of 

13 


146  ZECHARIAH.  [PERIOD 

the  passage  affords  a  sufficient  refutation  of  their 
arguments.  The  sanction  of  the  Evangelists,  parallel 
passages  respecting  the  character  of  the  Messiah,  the 
accordance  of  the  representation  here  made  with  the 
spirit  of  the  Prince  of  peace,  and  the  interpretation 
of  the  ancients,  all  combine  to  stamp  the  passage  as 
Messianic. 

[Ch.  11;  12,  13.] 

In  a  symbolical  transaction  carried  on  between  the. 
prophet  and  the  people,  Israel  is  here  represented  as 
a  flock  destined  for  the  slaughter.  The  Lord,  or  the 
prophet,  as  his  type  and  representative,  assumes  the 
pastoral  office  in  their  behalf,  and  attempts  their 
deliverance.  But  their  unbelief  and  faithlessness 
compel  him  to  give  them  up.  As  he  is  about  to  with¬ 
draw  from  them  he  asks,  as  one  worthy  of  his  hire, 
for  the  reward  of  his  services.  ^‘If  ye  think  good, 
give  me  my  price;  and  if  not,  forbear.”  Instead, 
however,  of  an  appropriate  recompense,  instead  of 
that  gratitude  and  affection  which  the  good  shepherd 
had  merited,  they  meanly  tender  him  the  common 
price  of  a  slave.  So  they  weighed  for  my  price 
thirty  pieces  of  silver.”  Insulted  and  grieved  by 
this  base  return  he  flings  down  the  coin  in  the  tem¬ 
ple,  calling  it,  ironically,  goodly  price''  that  he 
was  prized  at  of  them.  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
me.  Cast  it  unto  the  potter  :  a  goodly  price  that  I  was 
prized  at  of  them.  And  I  took  the  thirty  pieces  of 


ZECHAllIAPI. 


147 


V-] 

silver,  and  cast  them  to  the  potter  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord/’ 

Here  is  an  evident  picture  of  some  definite  trans¬ 
action  between  God  and  his  people.  The  question  is, 
who  was  this  shepherd,  and  what  event  in  Jewish 
history  was  the  fulfilment  of  this  prediction  ? 

It  is  natural  to  regard  this  shepherd  as  the  same 
who  is  elsewhere  so  often  represented  as  the  guardian 
of  Israel. 

The  breo-king  of  the  first  staff.  Beauty  (grace), 
evidently  denotes  the  dissolution  of  God’s  covenant, 
and  the  withdrawal  of  his  protection  from  Judah  and 
Israel.  This  event  could  not  have  been  realized  in 
or  near  the  time  of  the  prophet:  Jehovah  was  then 
just  resuming  the  peculiar .  care  of  his  flock.  Nor 
does  the  character  ascribed  to  the  people  befit  that 
^ge  :  they  were  for  the  most  part  piously  disposed 
at  that  time,  and  were  united  together,  peacefully 
and  promisingly  making  settlement  in  the  land  from 
which  they  had  been  exiled.  This  by  no  means 
accords  with  the  breaking  of  the  second  staff.  Bands 
(brotherly  love,  concord) ;  by  which  is  signified  the 
introduction  of  internal  discord  and  division. 

Hence  we  are  compelled  to  seek  the  realization  of 
this  symbolical  transaction  in  the  later  history  of  the 
Jewish  people. 

That  by  the  ^Uhirty  pieces  of  silver”  is  indicated 
the  disesteem  and  insult  of  the  people,  and  not,  as 
some  have  suggested,  the  faith  of  an  acceptable  few. 


148  ZECHARIAH.  [PERIOD 

is  evident  from  the  contempt  with  which  they  are 
received  and  treated,  and  from  the  fact  that  the 
reward  was  not  asked  until  the  shepherd  had  de¬ 
termined  to  leave  them.  The  ignominious  use  to 
which  the  money  is  applied  proves  that  it  was  no 
acceptable  offering.  It  is  cast  down  in  the  temple 
because  that  was  the  council-house  of  the  nation,  the 
place  where  important  public  business  was  transacted. 
But  it  is  thrown  down  not  for  sacred  or  honorable 
use,  but  for  the  potter;  perhaps  a  potter  who  made 
wares  for  the  temple-service  ;  or  it  is  to  be  transferred 
to  the  potter  or  -potter’s  field,  which  was  an  unclean 
place,  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom. 

To  understand  aright  this  allusion  to  the  potter, 
we  must  go  back  to  Jeremiah,  ch.  7 :  32 — 34,  and 
ch.  19.  Amongst  the  worst  of  Judah’s  sins  was  the 
idolatry  practised  in  the  valley  of  the  son  of  Hin¬ 
nom  or  Tophet. 

Jeremiah  was  directed  to  take  the  elders  of  the 
priests  and  of  the  people  with  him  into  this  valley,  to 
procure  a  bottle  from  the  potter’s  house  and  break  it 
before  them  in  the  valley,  at  the  same  time  prophesy¬ 
ing,  and  saying,  ‘‘  Thus  will  God  break  this  people 
and  this  city  as  one  breaketh  a  potter’s  vessel  that 
cannot  be  made  whole  again ;  and  they  shall  bury  in 
Tophet  till  there  be  (because  there  shall  be)  no  place 
else  to  bury.” 

Tophet  shall  be  henceforth*  an  unclean  place ;  and 
hence  a  fit  place  to  cast,  or  expend,  that  which  is 


V] 


ZECHARIAH. 


149 


unclean.  And  the  potter  and  the  potter’s  field  are  in 
this  place. 

Turn  now  to  the  record  found  in  Matt.  26 :  14, 
15,  respecting  Jesus,  who  styled  himself  the  good 
‘^Shepherd;”  and  respecting  ^‘thirty  pieces  of  sil¬ 
ver,”  and  “the  potter.”  “Then  one  of  the  twelve, 
called  Judas  Iscariot,  went  unto  the  chief  priests,  and 
said  unto  them.  What  will  ye  give  me,  and  I  will 
deliver  him  unto  you?  And  they  covenanted  with 
him  for  thirty,  pieces  of  silver.”  This  was  near  the 
close  of  Christ’s  public  ministry.  And  this  was  the 
bribe  or  price  offered  for  the  delivery  of  Christ  into 
the  hands  of  the  Sanhedrim.  This  was  the  “goodly 
price”  at  which  they  prized  him. 

After  his  delivery  and  condemnation,  continues 
the  account.  Matt.  27 :  3 — 10,  “  Judas,  which  had 
betrayed  him,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  condemned, 
repented  himself,  and  brought  again  the  thirty  pieces 
of  silver  to  the  chief  priests  and  elders.  And  he 
cast  down  the  pieces  of  silver  in  the  temple,  and 
departed,  and  went  and  hanged  himself.  And  the 
chief  priests  took  the  silver  pieces,  and  said.  It  is  not 
lawful  for  to  put  them  into  the  treasury,  because  it  is 
the  price  of  blood.  And  they  took  counsel*,  arid 
bought  with  them  the  potter’s  field,  to  bury  strangers 
in.  Wherefore  that  field  was  called.  The  field  of 
blood,  unto  this  day.  Then  was  fulfilled  that  which 
was  spoken  by  Jeremy,  the  prophet,  saying.  And  they 
took  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  price  of  him  that 

13* 


150  ZECHARIAH.  [PERIOD 

was  valued,  whom  they  of  the  children  of  Israel  did 
value  ;  and  gave  them  for  the  potter’s  field,  as  the 
Lord  appointed  me.” 

This  event  occurred  about  the  time  that  the  cove¬ 
nant  with  the  Hebrews,  as  a  peculiar  people,  was 
dissolved;  that  ^^the  staff  Beauty”  was  broken. 
Henceforth  they  were  given  up  to  discord  and  divis¬ 
ion  and  finally  to  slaughter  and  dispersion.  They 
compelled  the  shepherd  to  abandon  them. 

No  one  supposes  that  Judas  and  the  Sanhedrim 
had  any  thought  of  fulfilling  this  prediction  of  Jere¬ 
my  and  Zechariah,  in  their  transactions ;  yet  they 
valued  him  at  thirty  silverlings.  The  contemptible 
price  was  cast  back  into  the  temple  for  the  potter, 
that  so  Tophet  might  henceforth  be  the  burial 
place  of  those  for  whose  burial  there  was  “  no  place 
else.” 

Who  ’  can  fail  to  see  that  they  here  acted  uncon¬ 
sciously  as  the  guilty  instruments  of  fulfilling  pro¬ 
phecy  ?  Providence  made  their  wrath  confirm  his 
predictions. 

One  remark  relative  to  Matthew’s  assignment  of 
the  whole  prediction  to  Jeremiah. 

Either  transcribers  have,  by  mistake,  written  Jere¬ 
miah  instead  of  Zechariah  (see  Barnes  on  Matt.  27 : 
9),  or  Matthew  regarded  the  event  predicted  by 
Zechariah  and  fulfilled  by  Judas  and  the  priests  as 
but  the  completion  and  full  realization  of  that  which 
Jeremiah  more  indefinitely  foretold.  Either  explana- 


V.] 


ZECHARTAH. 


151 


tion  accounts  for  the  seeming  discrepancy.  It  is 
favorable  to  the  latter  interpretation,  that  where  two 
prophets  have  alluded  to  the  same  thing,  New  Testa¬ 
ment  writers  alluding  to  it  generally  name  but  one, 
and  generally,  as  in  this  case,  the  elder  of  the  pro¬ 
phets. 

[Ch.  12:  6—14.] 

In  contrast  with  the  wickedness  of  the  people, 
God’s  renunciation  of  them,  and  the  consequent  evils, 
foretold  above,  we  have  here  a  prediction  of  their 
repentance  and  return  to  God.  The  contrast  indi¬ 
cates  a  great,  general  restoration  of  the  Jews  to  the 
favor  of  God,  the  house  of  David”  and  the  inhab¬ 
itants  of  Jerusalem  representing  the  theocracy. 

The  time  referred  to  shall  be  that  of  the  peculiar 
dispensation  of  the  Spirit.  And  I  will  pour  upon 
the  house  of  David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem  the  spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplications : 
and  they  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  have  pierced, 
and  they  shall  mourn  for  him,  as  one  mourneth  for 
his  only  son,  and  shall  be  in  bitterness  for  him,  as  one 
that  is  in  bitterness  for  his  first-born,”  etc. 

As  Jehovah  is  the  speaker  in  this  passage,  and 
says,  They  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  have 
pierced,”  etc.,  the  divinity  of  the  person  concerned  is 
plainly  implied ;  it  is  the  same  one  who  is  to  pour  out 
the  spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplication. 

The  piercing  might  be  figurative,  and  refer  in^ 


152  ZECHARIAH.  [PERIOD 

general  to  all  the  ingratitude  and  cruelty  attending 
the  rejection  of  a  proffered  Saviour ;  but  a  striking 
fulfilment  narrated  in  John  19:  34 — 37,  compels  us 
to  take  the  prediction  in  its  literal  sense. 

It  is  said  that  while  Christ  hung  upon  the  cross, 
One  of  the  soldiers  with  a  spear  pierced  his  side,’’ 
in  order  that  the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled,  “  They 
shall  look  on  him  whom  they  pierced.” 

The  soldier  acted  as  the  executor  of  the  will  of 
the  people  ;  virtually  they  pierced  him. 

The  ‘^mourning”  foretold  by  the  prophet  began 
even  on  the  day  of  the  piercing.  ‘‘All  the  people  that 
came  together  to  that  sight,  beholding  the  things 
which  were  done,  smote  their  breasts,  and  returned,” 
Luke  23 :  48.  Convinced  by  the  miracles  attending 
his  death,  some  even  then  began  to  mourn  that  they 
had  pierced  him  ;  others  of  those  who  clamored  for 
his  crucifixion  were  probably  afterwards  led  to  repent¬ 
ance  at  the  time  of  the  Pentecost,  when  the  “  spirit 
of  grace  and  of  supplication”  was  so  abundantly 
poured  upon  the  people.  But  these  cases  were  only  a 
pledge  of  that  which  was  to  be  exhibited  by  the  nation 
generally,  and  by  all  others  who  cherish  the  spirit  of 
the  murderers  of  Christ,  and  thus  become  their  accom¬ 
plices.  Christ’s  blood  rests  upon  all  rejectors,  and 
by  their  sins  all  have  pierced  him.  When  brought 
by  the  “Spirit  of  grace”  to  look  upon  him  in  his 
true  character  they  must  mourn.  The  Revelator  tells 
us  that  a  time  is  coming  when  “  every  eye  shall  see 


ZECHARIAH. 


153 


v] 

him,  and  they  also  which  pierced  him ;  and  all  kin¬ 
dreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him/' 

[Ch.  13.] 

The  repentance  spoken  of  above  shall  not  be  in 
vain,  where  it  i»  true  repentance  and  not  mere 
remorse.  ‘‘In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  fountain 
opened  to  the  house  of  David,  and  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Jerusalem  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness." 

The  connection  of  these  three  chapters  shows  that 
each  refers  to  the  same  people  and  the  same  Shep¬ 
herd  ;  that  the  fountain  of  salvation  is  in  the  side  of 
him  that  was  pierced.  The  figure  of  a  purifying 
fountain  is  so  often  used  to  express  the  eflBcacy  of 
Christ's  blood  that  particular  references  are  not 
needed. 

Verses  7 — 9  may  be  received  as  the  summing  up 
of  all  that  has  been  said  respecting  the  Saviour  in 
the  11th,  12th,  and  13th  chapters. 

Jehovah  himself  here  calls  for  the  victim  that 
shall  atone  for  sin.  “  Awake,  0  sword,  against  my 
shepherd,  and  against  the  man  that  is  my  fellow, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts :  smite  the  shepherd,  and  the 
sheep  shall  be  scattered :  and  I  will  turn  mine  hand 
upon  the  little  ones." 

This  shepherd  is  evidently  the  one  referred  to  in 
chapter  11.  He  is  called  the  man  that  is  God's 
fellow;  if  “man,"  he  possesses  the  human  nature; 
if  God’s  “fellow,"  as  this  word  denotes  a  close 


154  ZECHARIAH.  [PERIOD 

blood-relationship,  he  must  participate  in,  be  inti¬ 
mately  united  to,  the  divine  nature. 

Christ  applies  the  passage  to  himself  on  that  night 
of  agony  preceding  his  crucifixion ;  Matt.  26 :  31. 
‘‘  All  ye  (the  disciples)  shall  be  offended  because  of 
me  this  night ;  for  it  is  written  I  will  smite  the  shep¬ 
herd  and  the  sheep  of  the  flock  shall  be  scattered 
abroad/' 

He  seemed  also  to  hear  Jehovah  calling  upon  the 
sword  to  awake  against  him.  Hence,  he  says  to  his 
condemner,  Thou  couldst  have  no  power  at  all 
against  me,  except  it  were  given  thee  from  above." 

“  God  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,"  his  fellow,  to 
die  for  sinners.  And  he  gave  himself ;  while  the 
Jews  and  Romans  were  the  sword  in  the  Almighty’s 
hand. 

But  what  of  the  scattered  flock  2  Two  parts," 
saith  the  Lord,  ‘‘  shall  be  cut  off  and  die,  but  the 
third  part  shall  be  left.  And  I  will  bring  the  third 
part  through  the  fire,  and  will  refine  them  as  silver  is 
refined,  and  will  try  them  as  gold  is  tried :  and  they 
shall  call  on  my  name  and  I  will  hear  them :  I  ^^ll 
say.  It  is  my  people  ;  and  they  shall  say.  The  Lord 
is  my  God." 

The  application  to  the  immediate  circle  of  Christ’s 
disciples  did  not  exclude  the  general  application  of 
the  passage  to  the  Jewish  people.  That  flock  still 
wanders.  Many  have  been  cut  off,  more  shall  be ; 
but  a  remnant  shall  be  saved. 


V.] 


MALACHI. 


155 


The  next  and  last  chapter  of  Zechariah  contains 
an  unmistakeable  reference  to  Messianic  times. 
‘^Holiness  unto  the  Lord’'  has  not  yet  been 
inscribed  upon  ‘Hhe  bells  of  the  horses  and  upon 
every  pot  in  Jerusalem  and  in  Judah.”  The  allusion 
is  general  and  indefinite,  and  need  not  detain  us. 
But  with  the  promise  of  such  a  time  sets  the  brightest 
star  of  this  prophetic  period. 

MALACHI. 

It  remains  fox  us  to  examine  the  seal  of  pro¬ 
phecy.”  Little  is  known  respecting  Malachi,  except 
what  he  has  himself  told  us.  Probably  he  was 
divinely  commissioned  to  labor,  in  connection  with 
Nehemiah,  from  about  the  year  430  to  424  B.  C. 

His  immediate  aim  was  to  reprove  and  correct 
abuses  and  corruptions  existing  chiefly  amongst  the 
priesthood.  Surrounded  by  enemies,  and  deficient  in 
enterprise  and  devotion,  the  people  did  not  prosper. 
Although  the  temple  had  been  completed,  the  city 
still  to  a  great  extent  lay  waste.  The  nation,  instead 
of  being  penitent,  and  humble,  and  trusting  in  God, 
were  disposed  to  complain  and  justify  themselves, 
claiming  the  blessings  promised  by  former  prophets 
as  their  rightful  due.  Malachi  seeks  to  expose  this 
wickedness  and  to  lead  them  to  repentance,  humility, 
and  entire  consecration  to  God. 


156 


MALACHI. 


[period 


[Ch.  3 :  1—3.] 

They  wearied  the  Lord,  saying,  ‘‘Where  is  the 
God  of  judgment  ?'*  To  this  the  prophet  replies, 
assuring  the  murmurers  that  the  righteousness  of  God 
shall  in  due  time  appear. 

“  Behold,  I  will  send  my  messenger,  and  he  shall 
prepare  the  way  before  me :  and  the  Lord  whom  ye 
seek  shall  suddenly  come  to  his  temple,  even  the 
messenger  of  the  covenant  whom  ye  delight  in :  behold, 
he  shall  come,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  But  who  may 
abide  the  day  of  his  coming  ?  and  who  shall  stand 
when  he  appeareth  ?  for  he  is  like  a  refiner’s  fire,  and 
like  fuller’s  soap.  And  he  shall  sit  as  a  refiner  and 
purifier  of  silver :  and  he  shall  purify  the  sons  of 
Levi,  and  purge  them  as  gold  and  silver,  that  they 
may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in  righteousness.” 

Here  two  messengers  are  spoken  of,  of  whom  one 
is  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  other.  The  reference 
is  evidently  to  the  herald  foretold  in  Isaiah  40 :  35, 
who  should  cry  in  the  wilderness,  “  Prepare  ye  the 
way  of  the  Lord.”  That  an  earthly  or  merely 
human  messenger  is  meant  appears  from  the  contrast 
between  him  and  the  “messenger  (angel)  of  the  cov¬ 
enant,”  who  is  called  “the  Lord.”  The  first  messen¬ 
ger  is,  in  chapter  fourth,  called  Elias.  John,  the 
Baptist,  alone  realized  the  idea  of  this  messenger. 
Standing  aloof  from  the  exciting  questions  of  his 
age,  he  alone,  unlike  the  old  prophets,  aimed  simply 
to  prepare  the  way,  and  introduce  the  Messiah. 


V.] 


MALACHI. 


157 


The  ^^Lord  whom  ye  seek,”  the  covenant  angel, 
who  is  to  follow  the  herald,  and  by  punishing  the 
wicked  and  trying  the  righteous,  sift,  refine,  and 
purify  the  theocracy,  can  be  no  other  than  the 
Christ.  Both  his  name  and  ofiice  indicate  his  rank. 

[Ch  4.] 

The  refining  process  shall  be  severe.  It  shall 
burn  up,  as  stubble,  all  that  do  wickedly.  But  after 
the  night  and  fire  of  their  trial  is  over,  Unto  you 
that  fear  my  name  shall  the  Sun  of  righteousness 
arise  with  healing  in  his  wings.”  He,  who  is  to  the 
wicked  a  consuming  fire,  is  to  the  righteous  a  life- 
giving  sun. 

Then  follows  another  promise  of  the  herald  who 
shall  give  warning  of  the  great  advent.  ‘‘Behold,  I 
will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet  before  the  coming 
of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  the  Lord.” 

Elijah  was,  in  a  sense,  the  father  of  the  prophets. 
He  also  fell  upon  evil  times,  and  his  rejection  was 
followed  by  severe  judgments.  As  the  herald  of 
Messiah  is  to  appear  under  like  circumstances,  he  is 
figuratively  called  Elijah.  Many  of  the  Jews,  in 
accordance  with  their  carnal  mode  of  interpretation, 
supposed  that  the  real  Elijah  was  to  be  raised,  and  to 
reappear  before  Messiah’s  advent.  But  Christ  de¬ 
clared  to  his  hearers,  upon  one  occasion,  that  “  Elias 
had  already  come,”  in  the  person  of  John  the 
Baptist. 


14 


158 


MALACHI. 


[period 


With  this  promise  of  the  prophetic  reformer  and 
messenger  to  precede  the  advent  of  the  Lord  whom 
we  seek,”  closes  the  book  of  prophecy.  Henceforth 
the  oracles  are  dumb.  The  veil  comes  down  over  the 
dim  form  of  Malachi,  and  no  other  eye  penetrates 
the  four  dark  centuries  that  lie  between  him  and 
Elias. 

We  have  followed  through  the  Hebrew  Book  the 
dim  though  continuous  traces  of  a  divine  Ideal  of 
God  incarnate. 

This  ideal  of  the  Hebrews  is  too  high  to  be  of 
human  birth.  What  variety  of  faculties  and  func¬ 
tions,  what  sublimity,  what  scope  and  intensity  of 
power  are  ascribed  to  this  Immanuel !  He  is  a  priest, 
a  prophet,  a  king — a  shepherd,  a  leader,  an  avenger 
— man,  an  angel,  a  God ;  at  once  angel  of  the 
Lord  and  God-man — branch  of  Jesse,  Son  of  God, 
Messiah,  Immanuel ! 

For  the  advent  of  such  a  personage  the  world  may 
well  wait  and  look  with  anxiety.  The  promise  is 
clear  that  he  shall  open  up  a  fountain  for  sin  and  un¬ 
cleanness,  that  he  shall  bear  our  sins,  and  subdue  our 
enemies,  that  he  shall  triumph  over  all  evil  and  found 
an  eternal,  universal  kingdom  of  righteousness  and 
peace.  Such  promises  miraculously  sent  down  from 
heaven  are  deposited  in  the  archives  of  Israel,  to 
work  through  the  Hebrew  mass,  and  thence  through 
larger  masses,  until  the  world  be  ready  to  receive  the 
last  dispensation. 


V.] 


MALACHI. 


159 


Our  line  of  light,  starting  from  Eden,  has  thus 
far  brightened.  We  see  it  still  stretching  on  into 
the  silent  centuries,  shining  and  brightening  until 
it  centers  and  burns  in  the  Star  of  Bethlehem. 


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SECOND  PART. 

LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


4 


14* 


3oii<MitBam^^38 

.  locoa  ovr  ■j?>i't  -itil^d/iTf  miau  dnr?u^\o^id 


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itjs  jirtij&c‘>  hUww  ai!^jfe>  jnlJ 

ijjg*-ji:H  siff  j.jir  feEiiiiitf  }^j  £oliia^t:^'  - 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  fundamental  idea  of  the  God-man  is  the 
combination  of  the  divine  and  human  natures,  the 
incarnation  of  Deity.  Precisely  how  God  would 
exhibit  himself  in  this  union  with  our  race  we  could 
not  anticipate.  But  we  should  expect  that  the  whole 
manifestation  would  be  a  mingling  of  the  natural  and 
the  supernatural.  The  compound  life  would  be  har¬ 
monious,  would  have  a  unity,  peculiar  to  itself ;  and 
yet  in  its  manifestations  we  should  see  the  blended 
tints  of  humanity  and  Deity  in  combinations,  to  us 
indivisible  and  inexplicable. 

As  an  important  object  of  the  incarnation  is  to 
present  the  ideal  of  human  character  and  life,  to  give 
man  a  pattern  of  that  perfection  for  which  he  is  to 
strive ;  Ave  should  expect  that  in  his  birth,  his  life 
and  his  death,  the  God-man  Avould  exhibit  an  intimate 
union  to,  and  sympathy  with,  mankind  and  the  nat¬ 
ural  processes  of  human  life.  If  he  is  to  be  the  ideal 
universal  man,  he  Avill  be  born,  will  live  and  die  as  do 
other  men.  He  will  become  partaker  of  our  joys 


164 


INTRODUCTION. 


and  sorrows,  our  pains  and  pleasures.  He  will  act 
the  whole  drama  of  human  life  as  it  should  be  acted, 
otherwise  he  could  not  be  our  pattern,  nor  teach  us 
how  God  would  in  all  cases  have  us  act. 

And  yet  his  divinity  must  not  be  wholly  sub¬ 
merged  and  obscured  in  the  human  element.  Through 
all  his  manifestation  the  divine  must  appear  and 
irradiate  the  human. 

His  lirth  will  not  be  simply  a  natural  generation ; 
there  must  be  something  like  a  new  creation  in  it. 
A  new  type  of  existence  is  to  be  originated.  A 
supernatural  element  must  here  appear.  His  life  will 
not  be  wholly  human.  The  supernatural  will  also 
ever  and  anon  gleam  out  and  dazzle  the  beholder. 
Under  its  human  disguise  it  may  shine  with  subdued 
and  softened  lustre,  but  it  must  prove  itself  divine. 
His  life  will  be  the  life  of  God,  though  incarnated. 

His  exit  from  our  world  will  also  be  in  part  nat¬ 
ural,  in  part  supernatural.  He  will  teach  us  how  to 
die,  will  learn  to  sympathize  with  us  in  the  last 
dreaded  agony.  And  yet  he  must  not  leave  the 
world  just  as  would  a  mere  man.  The  life  that 
begins  and  proceeds  in  a  miracle  must  end  in  a 
miracle.  The  supernatural  will  appear  in  his  demise. 

The  first  requisite,  therefore,  of  the  God-man  is, 
that  he  present  a  new  exhibition  of  the  divine  and 
human  lives  combined,  that  his  whole  manifestation 
be  natural  and  also  supernatural. 

In  his  intellect  he  will  exhibit  the  natural  facul- 


WORKS  OF  THE  GOD-MAN. 


165 


ties  intensified  and  ennobled  by  the  divine  wisdom 
that  shall  be  poured  through  them.  His  mind  will 
seem  to  be  a  human  mind,  and  yet  more  than  human. 
We  shall  expect  to  see  every  faculty  fully  developed, 
and  the  whole  intellect  well  balanced  and  harmonized ; 
and  we  shall  also  expect  such  high  and  original 
thoughts  as  no  mortal  could  attain.  The  infinite 
wisdom  will  speak  through  him.  He  will  certainly 
clear  up  some  of  the  dark  problems,  and  illuminate 
some  of  the  mysteries  that  hang  about  our  world. 
He  will  tell  of  life  and  immortality. 

As  to  his  moral  character,  w^e  shall,  of  course, 
expect  perfection.  His  life  must  be  holy,  without 
spot.  What  we  mainly  look  for  in  him  is  the  restora¬ 
tion  of  moral  purity.  He  will  teach  us  what  is  that 
harmony  with  God  and  the  eternal  laws  which  our 
race  long  since  lost ;  he  will  show  us  a  sinless  char¬ 
acter  and  life.  In  his  presence  we  shall  feel  that  the 
Holy  One  is  before  us.  Passing  through  all  the 
temptations  to  which  we  are  subject  he  will  maintain 
his  integrity  and  remain  unsullied.  He  will  produce 
a  character  and  life  completely  in  harmony  with  the 
eternal  ideal. 

His  life  will  realize  the  original  idea  of  humanity, 
exalted,  purified,  glorified  by  free  communion  and 
organic  connection  with  Godhood. 

What  works  precisely  the  God-man  would  perform 
we  could  not  predetermine ;  but  we  should  ex};cct 
such  as  would  testify  satisfactorily  to  his  divine  com- 


166 


INTRODUCTION. 


mission.  If  he  be  God,  he  will  exhibit  the  power  of 
God — a  power  adequate  to  creation,  adequate  to  any¬ 
thing.  We  may  expect  a  sign  of  his  supremacy  to 
the  usual  order  and  laws  of  nature.  Miracles  may, 
therefore,  be  expected  to  form  a  part  of  his  manifes¬ 
tation.  His  incarnation  will  be,  indeed,  itself  the 
highest  miracle.  And  if  that  be  once  admitted  no 
other  miracle,  however  stupendous,  need  seem  incred¬ 
ible.  If  the  Almighty  enter  into  the  human  form, 
he  will  be  Almighty  still,  and  nature  will  be  his 
creature  no  less  than  before.  For  any  suflBcient 
moral  end  he  will  not  hesitate  to  turn  her  as  he 
pleases,  though  her  entire  economy  should  be  sub¬ 
verted.  He  who  launched  the  worlds,  and  who 
guides  them  in  their  circles,  may  turn  them  ‘‘  at  his 
own  sweet  will.''  If  to  create  and  work  the  uni¬ 
verse  be  the  free  exercise  and  pastime  of  Deity,  we 
need  not  wonder  to  see  him  treat  lightly  what  seems 
to  us  a  fixed  principle  or  law.  What  were  gravity, 
or  elective  aflSnity,  or  any  law  of  matter  or  of  mind, 
of  life  or  of  death,  to  Him  by  whom  all  things  sub¬ 
sist  ?  Miracles  the  God-man  will  surely  perform,  if 
there  be  any  reason  for  them.  And  we  may  antici¬ 
pate  that  they  would  be  a  fit  testimony  of  his  power. 
Nothing  else  would  so  readily  and  forcibly  command 
the  attention  and  convince  the  minds  of  wonder-loving 
men. 

We  shall  also  look  for  a  new  dispensation  of  truth 
from  liis  lips.  He  will  be  a  Seer,  Revealer  of  super* 


TEACHER  AND  REFORMER. 


167 


human  wisdom.  New  doctrines  of  God,  of  the  soul, 
and  of  human  destiny  he  may  bring  with  him.  A 
prime  object  of  his  mission  will  be  to  reveal  God  to 
us.  He  will  be  the  ‘Hruth  and  the  light.”  Doubt¬ 
less  he  will  speak  ‘^as  never  man  spake.”  His 
advent  will  mark  a  new  era  in  human  knowledge, 
particularly  the  knowledge  of  divine  things.  He 
will  be  the  great  prophet  of  mankind ;  the  ideal  and 
head  of  the  race  of  prophets.  Whatever  high  and 
divine  revelations  may  be  necessary  for  the  faith  of 
mankind  he  will  proclaim.  He  will  bring  a  Gospel, 
the  like  of  which  had  not  been  before. 

He  will  also  mark  a  neAV  era  in  the  spiritual  his¬ 
tory  of  the  world :  will  introduce  a  new  religious  life. 
He  will  establish  a  faith  that  shall  be  the  faith  of 
humanity,  in  its  better  forms,  for  all  time. 

We  have  had  intimation  that  he  will  be  both 
priest  and  prophet  for  our  world.  Regal  dignity  is 
also  assigned  to  him ;  he  will,  therefore,  be  a  great 
reformer.  Old  Testaments,  types,  institutions,  ordi- 

V 

nances,  and  kingdoms,  shall  be  superseded  by  him: 
he  will  make  all  things  new.  Time  shall  take  its 
date  from  his  advent,  as  the  second  creation.  Tem¬ 
ples,  priesthoods,  thrones,  and  hierarchies  shall  crum¬ 
ble  before  him,  and  in  his  footsteps  shall  spring  the 
germs  of  new  eras. 

Such  things  we  shall  look  for  in  Emmanuel.  We 
cannot  accept  a  pretender  who  does  not  exhibit  most 
of  these  characteristics. 


168 


INTRODUCTION. 


But  the  ideal  is  so  high  that  if  one  shall  realize 
it,  Him  we  must  accept.  The  mark  is  evidently  set 
above  man’s  utmost  stretch.  Divinity  alone  can 
reach  it. 

The  question  sometimes  occurs,  why,  if  Christ 
were  the  God-man,  on  whom  the  world’s  salvation 
depends,  did  he  not  appear  sooner  ?  Or  why  just  at 
the  time  when  he  did  ? 

We  might  be  content  to  leave  such  questions  unan¬ 
swered.  God  knows  his  own  times  of  action,  and  he 
who  has  not  confidence  in  the  divine  appointments 
may  always  question.  Why  did  not  God  create  and 
people  our  earth  sooner  ?  or  why  do  this  just  when 
he  did  ? 

Still,  we  may  often  trace  plan  and  propriety  in 
the  divine  appointments ;  we  may  in  this. 

Several  things  were  evidently  desirable  before  the 
advent  of  the  divine  man. 

As  he  was  to  come  mainly  to  redeem  from  sin, 
and  to  restore  man  to  holiness,  it  was  needful  that 
man  should  have  indisputable  experience  of  the  need 
of  a  divine  Redeemer. 

We  find,  even  now,  those  who  deny  the  need  of 
such  a  manifestation  of  the  divine  life  to  our  race. 
Much  more  would  they  have  denied  it  if  the  world 
had  not  first  gone  through  its  sad  experience. 

The  falsehood  and  evil  of  Atheism  was  to  he  first 
demonstrated  in  human  history. 

The  great  demonstration  of  the  wickedness  and 


ANTECEDENTS. 


IGO 


the  debasing  tendency  of  pure  Atheism  was  made 
before  the  deluge.  Man  had  certainly  some  knowl¬ 
edge  of  a  God  at  first;  and  that  knowledge  was 
preserved.  But  the  number  of  theists  before  the 
deluge  was  small :  only  one  family  seem  to  have 
had  any  real  faith  during  the  last  century  of  the 
antedeluvian  period.  That  was  the  golden  era  of 
Atheism ;  and  the  deluge  was  its  harvest. 

With  all  the  vigor  of  a  youthful  race,  naturally 
in  its  prime,  and  with  a  new,  teeming  world  whose 
virgin  soil  was  yet  untaxed,  the  antedeluvians  enacted, 
in  their  swift,  downward  march,  the  history  of  a  race 
without  God  and  religion. 

The  deluge  was  God's  great  argument  against 
Atheism;  and  it  settled  the  question.  Since  that 
time  has  been  idolatry,  but  not  general  Atheism. 
Pretended  Atheism  has  now  and  then  arisen,  but  it 
ever  belies  its  profession.  Beal  Atheism  does  not 
exist  and  has  not  existed,  in  any  great  extent,  since 
the  deluge  ;  and  it  cannot  evermore. 

The  impossibility  of  Atheism  once  settled,  there 
were,  however,  other  important  principles  to  be  de¬ 
monstrated  by  history. 

A  second  great  question  to  be  settled  was, 
whether,  with  the  universal  conviction  of  a  divine 
existence,  and  an  overruling  Providence,  the  world 
could  live  without  miraculous  revelations,  and  a 
divinely  ordained,  objective  religion  ? 

15  . 


170 


INTRODUCTION. 


From  the  deluge  until  God’s  covenant  with  Abra¬ 
ham,  the  race,  in  its  second  infancy,  was  left  to  work 
upon  the  doctrine  of  divine  Providence^  without 
church  or  ritual.  This,  too,  proved  unsuccessful. 
Henceforth  we  have  a  division ;  and  one  branch  of 
the  human  family  is  made  the  recipient  of  special 
miraculous  revelations. 

The  rest  of  the  world  are  left  to  work  out  the 
final  and  complete  demonstration  of  the  insufficiency 
of  natural  religion^  with  the  guidance  of  mere  human 
reason. 

This  was  a  great  end  to  be  attained  before  the 
wmrld  could  appreciate  the  revelation  of  God  in 
Christ.  The  pride  of  intellect  is  ever  Christ’s  worst 
enemy.  God  foreseeing  this  wisely  suffered  the  race 
to  try  their  boasted  reason  to  its  utmost ;  and  it  made 
some  noble  efforts ;  for  example,  Grecian  culture. 

Here,  on  Grecian  soil,  to  say  nothing  of  Egyptian 
and  Indian,  appeared  the  culmination  of  the  human 
intellect  without  revelation.  The  Grecian  morality 
and  religion  show  what  man  could  do  in  his  own 
strength,  under  most  favorable  circumstances. 

Egypt,  Phenicia,  Persia,  and  India,  all  tried  the 
experiment,  of  elevating  man  without  miraculous 
divine  aid. 

Tried  and  failed ;  the  insufSciency  of  reason  and 
natural  religion  were  demonstrated  before  the  advent 
of  Christ.  Education  cannot  redeem  the  race,  and 
natural  reason  with  its  philosophy  cannot  satisfy 


ABRAHAMIC  CHURCH. 


171 


the  soul  of  man :  else  had  Greece  evangelized  the 
world. 

God,  in  his  providence,  suffered  our  race  to  pro¬ 
duce  an  everlasting  refutation  of  this  plea,  of  the 
sufficiency  of  natural  religion,  before  he  introduced 
Christianity ;  and  there  it  stands  ineffaceably  written 
in  all  the  history  of  Paganism.  The  flower  of  the 
ancient  nations  was  left  (might  we  not  say,  doomed?) 
to  write  it,  before  the  advent  of  Christ.  They  wrote 
it  in  blood,  and  fire,  and  death.  Whoever  will  may 
read. 

This  was  the  mission  of  ancient  heathenism;  a 
mission  mournfully  well  performed. 

Going  back  now  to  the  little  Chaldean  stock  that 
was  called  out  of  Ur,  we  may  inquire  what  purpose 
that  had  to  subserve  in  the  divine  economy,  before 
the  last  dispensation  should  come  ? 

Several  ends  were,  no  doubt,  subserved  by  the 
Abrahamic  church,  two  or  three  of  which  may  be 
specified. 

Perhaps  the  first  great  end  of  the  Hebrew  church 
and  people  was  to  develop,  substantiate,  and  diflTuse 
the  doctrine  of  the  Unity  of  Grod. 

While  the  rest  of  the  world  narrowed  and  dwarfed 
the  religious  sentiment  by  its  manifold  polytheism, 
the  Hebrews  kept  clear  and  distinct  the  idea  of  the 
oneness  of  Deity.  They  worshipped  no  national 
Numen,  but  God  the  Creator,  Ruler,  and  Judge  of 


172 


INTRODUCTION. 


the  world.  The  sneer  of  the  infidel  at  the  Chris¬ 
tian’s  Hebrew  God,”  is  as  groundless  and  invid¬ 
ious,  as  is  all  infidelity.  The  peculiarity  of  the 
Hebrew’s  Deity  was  his  universality,  his  eternal, 
absolute  dominion ;  and  to  establish  forever  a  faith  in 
the  unity  and  omnipotence  of  Deity,  and  thus  prepare 
the  way  for  his  threefold  revelation,  was  God’s  aim 
in  the  Hebrew  theocracy. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  could  not  be  well 
revealed  until  that  of  the  Unity  was  substantiated. 

But  the  Hebrew  church,  also,  subserved  other 
important  ends. 

Between  Abraham  and  Moses  the  experiment  of 
a  church  without  prescribed^  stated^  and  constant 
rituals^  was  tried.  Here  Ave  find  a  subjective  re¬ 
ligion,  with  only  such  occasional  ceremonies  as  the 
worshipper  might  be  disposed  to  perform.  Here  was 
a  church  that  had  only  a  covenant  and  its  seal,  cir¬ 
cumcision  ;  every  place  serving  for  its  temple,  and 
every  man  a  priest.  It  was  a  church  without  consti¬ 
tution,  ritual,  law,  or  ministry.  This  also  proved 
insufiicient ;  and  hence  the  Mosaic  economy  was 
instituted. 

Between  Moses  and  Christ  was  made  the  great 
experiment  of  a  theocracy  with  a  divinely  communi¬ 
cated  law,  and  a  church  with  a  complete  ceremonial, 
with  the  ministry  of  priest  and  prophet,  but  no 
Gospel,  no  God-man  fully  revealed. 

Here  the  legal  princijile  was  developed;  and  its 


ANTICIPATIONS. 


173 


insufficiency  demonstrated.  It  became  evident  that 
with  all  needed  revelations,  and  continual  divine 
guardianship  miraculously  exercised,  man  could  not 
‘‘by  the  works  of  the  law”  be  justified  before  God. 

The  Hebrew  theocracy  proved  that  no  social 
polity,  no  morality,  and  no  external  religion  could 
answer  the  demands  of  the  divine  law,  and  the  wants 
of  the  human  soul. 

Thus  was  God  carrying,  on  through  those  long, 
dark  eras  such  experiments  as  might  show  to  the 
world  the  insufiiciency  of  all  natural  principles  and 
mere  human  efforts  to  redeem  the  race  from  its 
degradation.  Thus  he  humbled  the  pride  and  self- 
sufficiency  of  man,  and  demonstrated  in  human  his¬ 
tory  and  experience  the  universal  need  of  an  atoning 
Saviour,  and  of  an  incarnate  revelation  of  himself. 

The  God-man  would  not  come  till  these  demon¬ 
strations  were  complete.  Not  till  Grecian  philosophy 
and  art  had  built  their  mythology, — not  till  Judaism 
had  proved  the  insufficiency  of  law  and  ritual, — not 
till  it  was  plain  to  the  universe  that  without  a  Christ 
our  world  must  eat  out  its  own  life  and  die, — not  till 
the  “fulness  of  time  was  come,” — would  God  “  send 
forth  his  Son.” 

It  w^as,  also,  desirable  that  there  should  be  some 
expectation  and  longing  for  him  awakened  in  the 
minds  of  men.  And  to  effect  this,  as  we  have  seen 
in  the  former  part  of  this  work,  numerous  predictions 

15* 


\ 


INTRODUCTION. 


171 

vrere  given  from  time  to  time  of  his  coming,  and  the 
great  things  which  he  would  achieve.  , 

We  have  seen  how  earnestly  the  ancient  seers 
peered  into  the  dim  vista  of  futurity  to  catch  glimpses 
of  his  dawning.  We  remember  the  Patriarch's 
remark,  that  ‘‘Judah’s  sceptre  should  not  depart  till 
Shiloh  come;”  we  remember  the  promise  of  an 
eternal  dominion  to  the  family  of  David ;  and  still 
more  vividly  shines  the  vision  of  Daniel.  No  one 
who  hopes  for  Messiah  can  forget  the  “  seventy  weeks 
from  the  time  of  the  decree  to  restore  and  to  build 
Jerusalem.” 

All  these  intimations  turn  our  attention  to  a  time 
preceding  the  final  dispersion  of  the  Jews :  a  time  about 
four  hundred  years  after  the  completion  of  the  Old 
Testament ;  a  time  about  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty 
years  ago ;  which  is  to  us  the  beginning  of  time. 

.Certain  it  is,  that  the  best  forms  of  heathenism 
then  began  to  wane.  They  had  come  to  their  fiower- 
ing  and  fruitage ;  they  had  done  what  they  could, 
and  were  about  to  die. 

The  better  part  of  the  heathen  were  yearning  for 
a  new  religious  development.  Greeks  and  Egyptians 
began  to  frequent  the  Hebrew  festivals,  and  to  look 
thitherward  for  a  new  faith.  Hebrew  bigotry  and 
exclusiveness  alone  prevented  them  from  making  still 
greater  advances.  They  were  sick  enough  of  their 
dead  heathenism  to  embrace  ‘anything  that  had  real 


MESSIANIC  PROPHECY  FULFILLED. 


175 


life  in  it.  Paganism  had  finished  its  demonstration. 
Natural  religion  would  not  do. 

Judaism  was,  also,  well  nigh  through  its  task. 
The  insufficiency  of  a  legal  system  began  to  be  evi¬ 
dent.  The  law  could  ‘‘never,  with  those  sacrifices 
which  they  offered  year  by  year  continually,  make 
the  comers  thereunto  perfect.” 

Messianic  Prophecy  seemed,  also,  to  be  nearly 
fulfilled.  The  sceptre  was  evidently  soon  to  be  reft 
from  Judah.  It  seemed  to  be  time  that  “Shiloh” 
should  come.  The  family  of  David  would,  also,  soon 
be  scattered  and  mingled  indistinguishably  with  the 
other  Jews.  His  promised  descendant  must  soon 
appear,  or  none  could  know  to  what  family  he 
belonged.  Bethlehem,  the  promised  place  of  his 
nativity,  was  also  soon  to  be  vacated  by  the  Jews. 

The  seventy  weeks,  too,  were  well  nigh  fulfilled. 
If  Daniel  were  a  prophet  of  the  Lord,  the  Anointed 
would  then  appear. 

So  thought  pious  Simeon,  Anna,  and  others  who 
waited  in  strong  expectation  of  the  promised  Messiah, 
the  Hope  of  Israel.  So  thought  even  the  carnal  and 
worldly  Jews  who  had  no  real  affinity  for  the  Divine 
One.  The  ambitious  and  the  discontented  who  were 
galled  by  the  Roman  yoke  expected  the  Branch  of 
David  soon  to  appear  and  restore  the  sinking  theoc¬ 
racy. 

History  tells  us  of  other  things  that  make  the 
beginning  of  the  Christian  era  seem  a  fit  time  for  the 


176 


INTRODUCTION. 


appearance  of  the  Prince  of  Peace.  Significant  was 
the  peaceful  attitude  of  the  nations  at  the  time  of 
Christ’s  birth. 

Allusion  has  been  already,  incidentally,  made  to 
the  place  of  the  advent. 

Antecedent  probability  would  fix  upon  the  country 
where  the  religious  sentiment  was  most  perfectly  de¬ 
veloped  ;  where  the  unity  of  God  was  most  clearly 
recognized  ;  and  where  the  liveliest  expectation  of  his 
coming  existed. 

“  To  him  that  hath  shall  be  given.”  The  nation 
that  has  the  best  religion  is  the  one  to  which  we  shall 
look  for  new  developments.  If  Judea  have  not  so 
much  of  arts,  or  arms,  or  human  lore  as  other  nations, 
it  is.  rich  in  theology.  It  is  in  morals  and  religion 
the  garden  of  the  world ;  there  stands  the  only  tem¬ 
ple  ever  built  for  the  true  God.  Certainly  the  Jew¬ 
ish  mind  is  best  prepared  to  receive  the  God-man  and 
his  Gospel.  Here  are  the  rudiments  from  which,  as 
a  higher  development,  Christianity  may  spring ;  here 
are  already  a  few  earnest  hearts  yearning  in  pure 
devotion  for  the  salvation  of  Israel. 

And  prophecy  fixes  upon  Judea,  fixes  upon  Beth¬ 
lehem.  To  Bethlehem  the  world’s  eye  naturally 
turns. 

At  the  predetermined  time  and  place  appeared 
J^jsus,  a  person  whose  birth,  life,  and  death  seemed  to 
;uiswer  the  prophetic  idea  of  Messiah.  He  claimed 
U)  be  the  incarnate  manifestation  of  God  in  human 


PRESUMPTION  THAT  JESUS  WAS  GOD-MAN.  1  77 

history.  He  substantiated  his  claim  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  more  spiritually  minded  part  of  his  cotempora¬ 
ries  ;  he  originated  a  system  of  doctrines,  and  imparted 
to  his  followers  a  spiritual  life,  both  of  which  have  been 
since  that  time  perpetuated,  and  have  acted  a  prom¬ 
inent  part  in  the  history  of  all  the  leading  nations 
of  the  world.  At  the  present  time,  Cristianity  is  the 
leading  power,  exerting  an  influence  unapproached  by 
anything  else  in  human  history.  The  kingdom  of 
Jesus,  though  spiritual,  and  indifferent  to  the  politics 
of  the  nations,  sways  the  most  of  the  master  minds, 
and  its  principles  are  incorporated  into  the  social  and 
political  life  of  all  the  best  nations  of  the  earth. 

The  doctrines  and  spirit  of  Jesus  prove  themselves 
salutary,  ennobling,  sanctifying,  divine.  They  seem 
destined  gradually  to  embrace,  regenerate,  and  exalt 
the  entire  human  race. 

These  and  other  considerations  forbid  that  we 
should  regard  the  man  Jesus  as  a  common  man.  His 
own  history  and  the  history  of  his  religion  establish  a 
presumption  in  favor  of  his  divinity.  We  must, 
therefore,  study  his  life,  not  with  the  mere  indifierence 
of  the  critic ;  much  less  with  the  spirit  of  the  seep- 
tic.  Rather  we  should  aim  to  enter  into  the  spirit 
and  share  the  internal  life  of  Him  who  stands  at  the 
head  of  modern  history,  and  whose  influence  seems  to 
be  moulding  and  guiding  the  race  to  a  higher  des¬ 
tination. 

Certainly,  if  Jesus  be  divine,  he  can  only  be 


178 


INTRODUCTION. 


rightly  understood  by  those  who  study  him  as  such. 
We  must  keep  in  mind  the  idea  of  the  God-man  if  we 
would  apprehend  aright  his  manifestation.  We  have 
reason  to  presume  upon  the  divinity  of  Jesus  ;  and 
we  are  sure  that  no  presumption  lies  in  favor  of  any 
other  claimant.  If  Jesus  was  not  God-man,  then 
there  has  been  no  incarnate  manifestation  of  Deity, 
no  divine  life  miraculously  communicated  to  our  race. 

In  that  case  Christianity  and  the  life  of  its  founder 
would  forever  remain  inexplicable  phenomena. 

Admitting,  however,  the  Godhood  of  Jesus,  both 
his  own  life  and  the  history  of  his  religion  will  be 
found  natural  and  glorious.  Both  science  and  the 
moral  welfare  of  mankind  demand  a  belief  in  the 
divinity  of  Jesus.  All  highest  problems,  intellectual 
and  moral,  have  an  interest  in  the  answer  to  the 
question,  Whose  Son' is  he 

It  seems  unfortunate  for  science,  that  a  full 
biography  was  not  written  by  the  cotemporaries  of 
Jesus.  But  science  was  not  the  aim  of  his  manifest¬ 
ation  ;  he  came  to  impart  a  new  spirit  and  life  to 
mankind,  to  make  reconciliation  between  man  and 
God.  He  chose  to  leave  his  portrait  in  the  hearts 
and  characters  of  his  followers  rather  than  on  canvas 
or  parchment;  he  still  lives  and  acts  in  human  his¬ 
tory.  His  manifestation  was  not  completed  by  his 
sojourn  in  Palestine ;  his  spirit  is  yet  revealing  the 
materials  of  his  life ;  the  incarnation  is  still  in  pro¬ 
gress,  the  manifestation  incomplete.  Yet,  we  have 


THE  GOSPELS. 


179 


a  peculiar  interest  in  all  the  facts  pertaining  to  his 
visible  life  on  earth. 

Our  faith  is  quickened  and  our  love  animated  by 
the  story  of  his  humiliation.  God,  in  the  flesh  and 
blood  of  Jesus,  seems  nearer  to  our  carnal  apprehen¬ 
sion  than  when  as  a  pure  spirit  he  works  even  in  our 
own  hearts.  We  adore  the  Father  and  the  Spirit, 
we  love  the  Son. 

Happily  we  are  not  left  with  scanty  information 
relative  to  the  incarnate  life.  Four  distinct  bio¬ 
graphical  sketches  have  come  down  to  us  from  his 
cotemporaries,  and  come  with  the  impress  of  inspira¬ 
tion  upon  them.  These  contain  the  main  facts  of  the 
life  of  Jesus,  particularly  during  his  public  ministry. 
Fuller  details  respecting  his  early  years  would  be 
interesting;  but  faith  does  not  need  them.  God 
makes  no  provision  for  the  gratification  of  mere 
curiosity. 

The  Gospels  were  evidently  written  with  slightly 
different  objects,  and  no  one  of  them  pretends  to  be 
a  complete  biography.  That  of  John,  which  ap¬ 
proaches  nearest  to  a  connected  narrative  of  his  life, 
had  for  its  special  aim  to  prove  the  divinity  of  Jesus. 
Hence,  John  omitted  many  of  the  incidents  and  dis¬ 
courses  which  are  most  significant  to  him  who  wishes 
to  study  the  humanity  as  well  as  the  divinity  of  our 
Lord. 

Matthew  and  John,  who  alone  from  the  immediate 


180 


INTRODUCTION. 


circle  of  his  disciples  Tvrote  Gospels,  give  us  two 
important  phases  of  the  character  and  life  of  Jesus. 
Matthew,  a  practical  business  kind  of  man,  narrates 
more  of  the  exterior  human  life.  John,  more  contem¬ 
plative,  spiritual,  and  devout,  reveals  more  of  the 
interior  life  and  spirit  of  his  Master.  Mark,  who 
may  be  regarded  as  Peter’s  amanuensis,  tells  the 
story  of  Jesus  as  it  was  preached  by  the  “  man  of 
Rock.”  And  according  to  Irenaeus,  ‘‘Luke,  the 
companion  of  Paul,  put  down  in  a  book  the  gospel 
preached  by  him.”  His  Gospel  comes  with  Paul’s 
sanction  and  authority. 

It  is  evident  that  each  of  these  narratives  were 
written  independently,  from  the  discrepancies  (unim¬ 
portant  except  for  this  testimony)  which  they  con¬ 
tain  ;  while  their  agreement,  in  all  essentials,  proves 
their  truthfulness. 

The  first  three  Evangelists  seem  to  have  paid 
little  attention  to  the  chronology  of  the  events 
recorded  ;  nor  did  John  aim  at  accuracy  in  the  order 
of  his  arrangement.  Each  gives  us  the  daguerreotype 
of  Jesus  as  it  was  depicted  upon  his  own  mind. 

And,  as  history  has  recorded  for  us  little  more 
than  these  four  sketches,  our  life  of  Jesus  must  be 
compiled  from  these  by  harmonizing,  combining,  and 
reproducing  what  they  have  written. 

The  chronology  of  many  incidents  in  the  life  of 
Jesus  must  be  uncertain.  Where  this  is  the  case,  it 
seems  proper  to  connect  them  according  to  their  sub- 


THE  GOSPELS. 


181 


ject-matter  in  the  place  which  they  would  seem 
naturally  to  occupy  in  the  development  of  the  life. 
The  present  work  follows,  with  a  few  exceptions,  the 
Harmony  of  Dr.  Robinson. 

It  might  be  thought  proper  to  say  something -more 
of  the  authority  and  inspiration  of  the  Gospels ;  but 
it  does  not  properly  lie  within  the  scope  of  the  pres¬ 
ent  work.  We  must  here  assume,  at  least,  the  truth 
of  the  narratives ;  and  it  is  believed  that  no  one,  who 
is  in  sympathy  with  the  exalted  spirit  which  pervades 
them,  can  doubt  their  claims.  Certainly  no  reliable, 
authentic,  ancient  history  exists,  if  these  be  not  such ; 
and  truth  is  all  that  history  demands,  whether  it  be 
inspired  or  not.  But  it  must  be  a  strange  mind  that 
can  study  such  truth  as  John’s  Gospel  contains,  and 
not  be  convinced  of  its  inspiration  ;  considering  John’s 
education  and  the  age  in  which  he  lived. 

16 


if 


f^  -■■ 


^  i'  ■  -v.^rr 


r^" 


1l‘id  35i*i8i4,t»^j^f^fh?i^'’^*''i‘'' 


y-  t.  '  <<•/  e»'  *  T.'f  ■  k  '  1  '  I  '  •  'V 

t?rj|v"  •  f.  .fry- ^-J«  ■  1  _ .ifS  :5  J' ..  r  I'k i  '‘*'?^*rO  '•'Tvrs'ii-'  »♦' 


tf‘ 


M  vfcijjB  ! >i*i  ^  /i;a  diorf'  ii4  /iXdis^j^JiT  Jli^  SdjlJ  ^ 


**'  !- 


j  ^ovfeDac»o 

l^rtA  '’.i?)j!>aiiai«fi3  3«ijia  auj  Hjaft  5n!»>aoa  «  lisoJ  Bjcmi*  ^|i 
•  2''ai!rno'»r  at!},’'  j£i!j  iSsisr  apbartaiq  lafcfo 'ajs'^dr 

-?>0niiogt  u?  .vm3ir9;ji9|i 

y_^i^vsim  itfejctj  iiijjjio  wi ’^Jumpsa^  oSi^ 

f'-t'''  !!^^^''^^  ^  c««  ai^qaaq,  ^i^uaiiitm.  '!j;6w({ 

'jP^I  3«>  ^  aipil  ixj’i'  v/’«jiiii|^U-  tu  fcnool 


PERIOD  I. 


FROM  THE  ANNUNCIATION  TO  THE  BAPTISM 

OF  JESUS. 


[Luke  1 :  26 — 56  ;  Matt.  1  :  18 — 25  ;  John  1 :  14.] 

The  idea  of  a  divine  incarnation  involves  the 
miraculous  origin  of  the  God-man.  Yet,  in  order  to 
sustain  an  organic  relation  to  the  human  race,  he 
must  enter  the  world  in  the  natural  way.  His  gener¬ 
ation  and  birth  will,  therefore,  be  both  natural  and 
supernatural. 

Isaiah  predicted  that,  “  a  virgin  should  conceive 
and  bear  a  son,  and  call  his  name  Emmanuel.”  And 
an  older  prediction  was,  that  the  woman’s  seed  ” 
should  bruise  her  enemy.  These  passages,  in  connec¬ 
tion  with  the  necessity  for  an  origin  partly  natural 
and  partly  miraculous,  prepare  us  for  the  account 
found  in  Matthew  and  Luke  of  the  conception  of 
Jesus.  Rather,  that  account  answers  the  demand  of 
reason,  and  teaches  us  how  those  predictions  were  to 
be  fulfilled. 


184  MIRACULOUS  CONCEPTION.  [PERIOD 

An  humble,  pious,  and  gifted  Virgin  of  the  family 
of  David,  related  also  to  the  sacerdotal  order,  is 
miraculously  informed,  that  she,  without  knowledge 
of  man,  is  to  become,  through  the  creative  power  of 
God,  mother  of  Messiah.  ‘‘That  holy  thing  which 
shall  be  born  of  thee” — ‘‘shall  be  called  the  Son  of 
the  Highest :  and  the  Lord  God  shall  give  unto  him 
the  throne  of  his  father  David :  and  he  shall  reign 
over  the  house  of  Jacob  forever ;  and  of  his  kingdom 
there  shall  be  no  end.”  Inasmuch  as  he  is  to  be  gen¬ 
erated  by  “  the  Holy  Ghost  ”  he  “  shall  also  be  called 
the  Son  of  God.” 

To  confirm  the  faith  of  the  surprised  and  doubting 
Virgin,  a  sign  was  given  which  induced  her  to  visit 
her  “  cousin  Elizabeth,”  who  lived  near  an  hundred 
miles  distant.  The  latter,  prompted  by  inspiration, 
at  once  saluted  her  as  the  “mother  of  her  Lord,” 
“blessed  among  women.”  A  supernatural  communi¬ 
cation  was  also  made  to  Joseph,  to  whom  Mary  was 
betrothed,  by  which  he  was  convinced  of  the  miracu¬ 
lous  agency  in  her  case,  and  fitted  to  become  the 
guardian  of  the  child  Jesus. 

The  miraculous  conception  is  in  accordance  with 
other  manifestations  and  revelations  of  God  as  set 
forth  in  the  Bible.  It  is  his  plan  to  superinduce  upon 
natural  means  and  agents  supernatural  powers  and 
results. 

Christ,  in  his  public  ministry,  made  no  direct  allu¬ 
sion  to  the  manner  of  his  human  origin,  because  he 


I.]  JOSEPH  AND  MARY  AT  BETHLEHEM.  185 

relied  upon  his  words  and  works  to  substantiate  his 
claim  to  divinity.  But  the  truth  of  the  above  account 
was  always  assumed  by  him  and  the  apostles,  and  was 
not  disputed  in  their  day,  as  it  would  have  been  if 
doubts  had  existed  respecting  it. 

[Luke  2:  1—20.] 

That  the  genealogy  of  Mary  was  traceable  to 
David  was  always  assumed  by  the  sacred  writers. 
The  genealogy  given  by  Luke  was  probably  that  of 
Mary,  given  in  the  name  of  her  husband,  Joseph, 
who  was  in  that  case  son-in-law,  rather  than  son  of 
Ileli.”  Though  of  royal  descent,  Joseph  and  Mary 
lived  in  humble  circumstances  in  the  obscure  town  of 
Nazareth.  In  accordance  with  the  prediction  of 
Micah,  that  Messiah  should  come  forth  from  Bethle¬ 
hem,  Providence  secured  the  removal  of  these  persons 
from  Galilee  to  Judea,  before  the  birth  of  Jesus. 

Palestine  being  at  that  time  a  province  of  the 
Roman  Empire,  Herod  was  directed  by  Augustus  to 
forward  to  Rome  a  census  of  his  kingdom.  Follow¬ 
ing  the  old  division  by  tribes,  he  required  every  citizen 
to  be  found  during  a  prescribed  period  within  the 
territory  of  the  tribe  from  which  he  claimed  descent. 
Joseph  and  Mary,  belonging  to  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
repaired  to  their  ancestral  town,  Bethlehem. 

Arrived  at  the  small,  though  famous,  city  of 
David,  they  found  the  houses  of  entertainment 
crowded  beyond  the  possibility  of  new  admissions. 

16* 


186 


BIRTH  OF  JESUS. 


[PERIOD 


To  supply  the  lack  of  houses,  the  caves  in  the  hills 
about  the  town  were  resorted  to  as  temporary  dwel¬ 
lings  by  the  visitors.  In  one  of  these,  formerly  occu¬ 
pied  as  a  stable,  Joseph  and  Mary  took  up  their 
residence  as  troglodytes,  during  the  taking  of  the 
census,  which  probably  occupied  several  weeks.* 

In  that  stable,  in  strange  contrast  with  the  great¬ 
ness  of  the  event,  was  born  Jesus,  by  Isaiah  named 
Emmanuel.  The  circumstances  under  which  he  en¬ 
tered  the  world  were  in  accordance  with  the  conde¬ 
scension  involved  in  the  advent.  Having  stooped  to 
a  human  incarnation,  he  would  but  have  been  mocked 
by  aught  that  we  count  dignity.  Five  miles  north  of 
Bethlehem  was  a  royal  court,  and  what  was  called 
the  throne  of  David.  But  he  whose  throne  was  to  be 
eternal,  and  who  had  all  dignity  and  royalty  in  him¬ 
self,  would  find  his  birth-place  where  David  was  born 
in  obscurity. 

Yet,  humble  as  was  the  advent  of  this  Branch 
of  Jesse,”  he  was  royally  heralded.  All  past  history 
and  prophecy  proclaimed  him.  Angels  announced 
his  birth ;  and  some  pious  souls  even  in  Bethlehem 
were  ready  to  w’elcome  him. 

% 

*  The  apparent  anachronism  in  the  account  of  this  census  ani 
the  magistracy  of  Cyrenius  or  Quirinus,  results  from  the  fact  that 
no  stress  was  laid  upon  the  incident.  The  original  does  not  snv 
that  it  was  taken  tvheii  he  was  governor.  The  truth  alluded  to  in 
the  paragraph  probably  was  that  this  census  was  taken  by  Qr.i  ' 
nus  (afterward  known  as)  governor  of  Syria. 


BIRTH  OF  JESUS. 


187 


I-] 

Humble  shepherds,  wont  to  employ  their  lonely 
watches  in  devout  meditations,  first  heard  the  good 
tidings.”  Guarding  as  usual  their  flocks  upon  the 
hills  around  Bethlehem,  they  are  startled  by  a  great 
light  suddenly  breaking  upon  them  from  the  skies. 
In  the  midst  of  this  display  appears  an  angel,  say¬ 
ing,  ‘‘Fear  not:  for  behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings 
of 'great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  people.  For  unto 
you  is  born  this  day  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour, 
which  is  Christ  the  Lord.  And  this  shall  be  a  sign 
unto  you  :  Ye  shall  find  the  babe  wrapped  in  swad-  • 
dling  clothes,  lying  in  a  manger.”  Anon  the  angel 
is  joined  by  a  multitude  who  sing  in  full  chorus  amid 
the  gleaming  splendor,  “  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men.” 

Such  a  demonstration  angels  make  at  the  advent; 
and  so  few  and  humble  were  the  witnesses  of  their 
celebration.  For  the  most  part  mankind  have  no 
knowledge  of  this  great  event,  and  no  care  for 
“  Christ  the  Lord.” 

Yet  the  “good  tidings”  were  not  lost.  The  shep¬ 
herds  found  the  grotto  of  the  Nazerene  sojourners, 
and  “  the  babe  lying  in  a  manger.”  And  still  the 
angels’  song  is  repeated  to  the  ages,  and  waxes  ever 
louder,  “for  all  people.” 

It  is  said  that  the  shepherds  reported  what  they 
had  seen  and  heard  “  concerning  this  child.  And  all 
they  that  heard,  wondered  at  those  things  which  were 


188  CIRCUMCISION  AND  RANSOM.  [PERIOD 

told  them  by  the  shepherds.”  An  idle  wonder  was 
all  the  result,  so  far  as  the  multitude  was  concerned. 
Judea  was  busy  with  its  taxings  and  traffic  and  com¬ 
mon  babble.  Only  a  pious  few  are  in  sympathy  with 
the  grand  event  of  the  age. 

The  fact  that  the  shepherds  were  in  the  fields  on 
the  night  of  Christ’s  birth  affords  a  hint  relative  to 
the  season  of  the  year.  It  could  not  have  been  so 
late  as  the  latter  part  of  our  December,  after  the 
'  winter,  or  rainy  season,  had  commenced.  All  things 
considered,  October  is  the  most  probable  month. 


[Luke  2:  21—38.] 

On  the  eighth  day  the  babe  was  circumcised  and 
named  Jesus,  or  Saviour,  as  the  angel  had  directed 
at  the  time  of  the  annunciation. 

The  faith  of  Joseph  and  Mary  in  the  Messiahship 
of  the  child  caused  no  hesitation  respecting  the  pro¬ 
priety  of  his  circumcision.  Submission  to  this  ordi¬ 
nance  was  in  accordance  with  Christ’s  plan  and  life. 
He  would  honor  existing  institutions  until  they  were 
abrogated  by  the  introduction  of  a  higher  dispensa. 
tion.  It  availed  not  that  he  was  himself  to  supersede 
the  old  rite  by  a  higher  ordinance. 

Another  illustration  of  the  same  principle  was 
afforded  in  the  ofi*ering  made  for  the  purification  of 
Mary  and  the  redemption  of  her  first-born. 

The  question  might  have  arisen  whether  the 


I-] 


SIMEON  AND  ANNA. 


189 


mother  of  ‘‘that  holy  thing’'  should  be  regarded  as 
unclean  ?  and  whether  the  Great  High  Priest  of  the 
race  should  pay  the  ransom  demanded  by  the  common 
obligation  to  the  priesthood  ?  But  these  questions 
were  not  mooted.  Mary  would  claim  no  exemption 
on  the  ground  of  her  divine  favor ;  and  she  would 
leave  to  God  the  proclamation  of  her  Son’s  high  mis¬ 
sion.  As  above,  they  would  honor  the  existing  law,  ’ 
and  “fulfil  all  righteousness.” 

The  quiet  circumstances  under  which  the  little 
family  appeared  at  Jerusalem,  forty  days  after  the 
birth  of  Jesus,  show  that  the  event  excited  little 
interest  at  the  time.  The  divine  child  received  no 
peculiar  attention  at  Jerusalem,  except  from  the  aged 
and  devout  Simeon  and  Anna. 

Amongst  the  constant  worshippers  about  the 
teiftple,  were  two,  who  with  a  true  piety  looked  for 
the  “consolation  of  Israel.”  To  Simeon  had  been 
given  a  divine  assurance  that  he  should  see  the  Lord’s 
anointed  with  his  bodily  sight.  As  the  parents  enter 
the  temple  to  present  their  gift,  the  spirit  of  inspira¬ 
tion  again  awakes  in  the  old  man,  and,  to  the  wonder 
of  Joseph  and  Mary,  he  catches  the  child  from  their 
arms,  exclaiming  in  a  strain  of  praise,  that  he  can 
now  die  in  peace,  since  his  eyes  have  seen  that  “  sal¬ 
vation,”  or  Saviour,  provided  of  God  as  a  light  for 
the  Gentiles  and  the  glory  of  Israel.  Turning  then 
to  the  strangers  with  a  blessing,  he  predicts,  in  a  few 
comprehensive  words,  the  conflicts  and  final  triumph 


190 


THE  MAGI. 


[PERIOD 


of  Jesus,  and  the  sorrows  that  should  befall  his 
mother.  Anna  who  entered  the  temple  just  as  Sim¬ 
eon  took  the  child,  receiving  the  same  impression, 
joined  him  in  his  thanksgiving,  and  spoke  of  the  child 
to  others  of  her  acquaintance  who  were  longing  with 
a  true  faith  for  the  advent  of  Messiah. 

The  intimation  here  given  of  the  conflicts  of 
Christ,  and  the  extension  of  his  influence  to  the  Gen¬ 
tiles,  shows  that  Simeon  had  no  narrow,  bigoted  view 
of  the  mission  of  the  Anointed. 

There  were  here,  as  in  Bethlehem,  a  few  souls 
ready  to  welcome  the  God-man  in  his  humble  disguise. 
And  the  spirit  of  prophecy  guides  them  to  him. 


[Matt  2:  1—12.] 

The  following  incident  confirms  a  remark  already 
made  that  pagans,  as  well  as  Jews,  were  looking  fbr  a 
great  king  and  Saviour  to  arise  in  Judea.  Amongst 
the  eastern  astrologers  were  some  whose  minds  seemed 
to  be  in  sympathy  with  the  movements  of  Providence, 
and  who  were  looking  for  a  Star  to  rise  out  of 
Jacob.” 

Probably  the  same  light  which  gleamed  with  such 
splendor  around  Bethlehem,  on  the  night  of  Jesus’ 
birth,  was  seen  by  these  far  ofi*  Magi,  as  it  were  a 
new  star  hovering  over  Judea.  To  them  such  a  star 
portended  the  birth  of  a  notable  king.  And  so 
deeply  were  they  impressed  with  this  omen  that  they 
determined  to  provide  themselves  with  costly  gifts  and 
visit  the  star-heralded  Prince. 


I] 


THE  MAGI. 


191 


Whether  from  Arabia,  as  their  gifts  might  indi- 
cate,  or,  as  is  probable,  from  Persia,  the  journey  of 
the  astrologers  was  long  and  tedious  ;  and  hence  they 
did  not  reach  Judea  until  after  the  visit  of  Jesus  and 
his  mother  to  Jerusalem.  Herod  should  not  hear  of 
the  New-born  King  until  the  requirements  of  the  law 
relative  to  purification  and  ransom  were  fulfilled. 

Probably  the  ‘‘star”  was  seen  by  the  Magi  but  a 
single  night,  but  their  observations  convinced  them 
that  it  appeared  over  Judea;  and  hence  they  bend 
their  steps  to  the  Jewish  capital,  expecting  to  find 
the  Prince  about  the  court  of  Herod. 

But  Herod  and  his  ministry  know  less  than  they 
about  the  matter.  No  king  of  the  Jews  is  born  there. 
Still,  aware  that  the  people  are  looking  for  Messiah, 
Herod  calls  the  expounders  of  prophecy  and  inquires 
“where  Christ  should  be  born?”  He  and  his  satel¬ 
lites  are  sorely  troubled  at  the  story  of  the  Magi. 
Fear  and  jealousy,  as  usual,  possess  the  wicked  king, 
and  in  perfect  accordance  with  his  character  he  re¬ 
solves  to  control  this  matter.  The  scribes  and  priests 
have  no  difficulty  in  determining  the  place  marked  by 
prophecy  as  the  birth-place  of  Messiah.  Micah  had 
pointed  to  little  Bethlehem  as  the  town  from  which 
should  come  the  Ruler,  “  whose  goings  forth  have 
been  from  of  old,  from  the  days  of  eternity.” 

Having  questioned  them  closely  respecting  the  time 
when  the  star  appeared,  and  enjoined  upon  them 
when  they  have  found  the  young  child  to  bring  him 


192 


THE  MAGI. 


[PERIOD 


'word,  hypocritically  pretending  a  desire  to  do  him 
reverence,  Herod  directs  the  Magi  to  Bethlehem. 
Turning  towards  the  place,  to  their  great  joy  as  they 
leave  Jerusalem,  a  star  or  meteor  again  appears, 
'^^hich  they  take  to  be  the  same  they  had  seen  from 
the  east ;  and  following  it  they  are  conducted  to  the 
little  family  of  Joseph.  The  ^‘stable’'  has  been 
exchanged  for  a  house  in  the  village,  over  which  the 
^^star''  seems  to  rest,  and  within  which  they  find 
^Hhe  young  child  viiih  his  mother.”  According  to 
eastern  custom  they  do  homage,  and  present  rich 
gifts  to  the  infant  king.  Here  their  search  termi¬ 
nates.  This  night  they  will  lodge  in  Bethlehem  ; 
to-morrow  they  may  report  to  Herod  their  success, 
and  set  out  for  their  eastern  home. 

But  the  night  brings  a  vision  and  a  warning.  An 
impressive  dream  bids  them  avoid  Herod,  and  conceal 
from  him  the  results  of  their  search.  The  dream  is 
obeyed  and  the  wily  Herod  is  foiled.  “  They  depart 
to  their  own  country  another  way,”  and  we  hear  of 
them  no  more. 

Their  guidance  by  a  ‘^star”  is  one  of  many 
instances  where  God  condescended  to  instruct  and 
guide  men  to  higher  truth  and  light  by  working 
through  their  superstition  and  error.  The  astrologers 
believed  that  the  appearance  of  a  new  star  indicated 
the  birth  of  a  gi'eat  king,  such  as  their  hearts  longed 
to  find.  God  made  their  astrological  faith  a  means 
of  bringing  them  to  his  Son.  So  He  often  comes 


I-] 


FLIGHT  INTO  EGYPT. 


193 


down  and  meets  the  aspirations  of  those  who  seek 
after  truth,  making  even  their  weaknesses  leading- 
strings  to  bring  them  to  Himself.* 

But  what  of  thwarted  Herod  ?  He  who  had 
attained  and  held  the  throne  contrary  to  the  wishes 
of  his  countrymen,  who  had  been  led  by  jealousy  and 
the  fear  of  being  deposed  to  plot  and  execute  the 
murder  of  many  of  his  nearest  relatives,  even  his 
own  sons,  would  not  forget  the  story  of  the  Magi,  nor 
fail  to  seek  revenge  for  the  frustration  of  his  plan. 

[Matt.  2:  13—18.] 

He  awaits  in  restless  anxiety  the  return  of  the 
strangers  ;  but  in  vain.  His  anxiety  soon  changes  to 
anger.  Shall  a  rival  for  the  throne  be  tolerated 
within  his  province  ?  Something  must  be  done,  and 
done  speedily.  Up,  and  purge  Bethlehem  and  its 
environs  with  the  sword.  Let  no  infant  live ;  murder 
all,  and  be  sure  of  the  right  one ;  is  Herod’s  fierce 
direction  to  his  soldiers.  All  Messianic  Prophecy 
and  all  the  decrees  of  Omnipotence  check  not  the 
madness  of  the  wicked  king.  He  can  even  plot  the 
murder  of  God’s  Anointed.  Thus  earthly  kingship 

*  Nothing  has  been  here  said  of  the  theory  that  the  new  star 
was  the  conjunction  of  Jupiter  and  Saturn.  The  theory  is  plausi¬ 
ble,  and  in  no  respect  repugnant  to  the  idea  of  a  providential  use 
of  the  phenomenon  to  lead  the  Magi  to  Christ.  The  Chinese 
record  of  the  appearance  of  a  new  star  about  the  time  of  Christ’s 
birth  is  also  noteworthy  in  this  connection. 

17 


194  FLIGHT  INTO  EGYPT.  [PERIOD 

welcomes  the  king  divine !  Thus,  soon  the  holy 
child  becomes  the  object  of  suspicion,  malice,  and 
persecution. 

The  soldiers  of  Herod  make  speedy  work.  “  In 
Rama  is  heard  a  voice,  lamentation,  and  weeping, 
and  great  mourning.”  In  every  house  flows  innocent 
blood  ;  but  not  the  blood  of  Emmanuel.  There  is  a 
king  stronger,  wiser,  and  swifter  in  his  purposes  than 
the  jealous  Herod. 

Scarce  had  the  Magi  gone  ere  Joseph,  in  a  dream, 
was  warned  by  ‘‘the  angel  of  the  Lord”  to  flee  the 
domain  of  Herod,  and  save  “the  young  child’s  life.” 
In  haste  the  little  family  quit  the  place.  Southward 
and  westward,  by  forced  march,  fast  and  fearful  wend 
the  fugitives ;  and  soon  “the  coasts”  of  Bethlehem 
are  cleared,  and  the  banks  of  the  Sihor  are  reached, 
and  the  little  river  forded,  and  they  are  in  Egypt, 
and  safe,  ere  Herod  has  published  his  cruel  decree. 
Egypt,  now  friendly  to  Judea,  has  countrymen  of 
Joseph,  and  synagogues,  and  hospitality  for  the  weary 
Mary  and  her  Son.  Here. for  the  present  they  may 
rest  and  sojourn. 

Meantime  Herod,  believing  that  he  “  who  was 
born  king  of  the  Jews”  is  amongst  those  that  “are 
not,”  sits  easier  for  a  few  days  in  his  purple ;  until  a 
greater  king,  to  him  pre-eminently  “  king  of  terrors,” 
bids  him  exchange  the  purple  robe  and  the  palace  for 
the  shroud  and  the  grave.  By  fierce  disease  passes 
the  first  persecutor  of  our  Lord  to  his  end ;  leaving 


I.]  RETURN  TO  PALESTINE.  195 

his  kingdom  to  Archelaus,  Antipas,  Philip,  and 
Salome. 

[Matt.  2:  18—23;  Luke  2 :  39—40.] 

Again  the  guardian  angel  of  the  little,  exiled 
family  appears  to  Joseph,  and  bids  him  return  to  his 
country.  The  length  of  their  sojourn  in  Egypt  is 
unknown  ;  it  may  have  been  four  months  or  twenty- 
four.  It  was  long  enough  to  effect  the  desired  end ; 
and  Jesus,  as  Israel  and  Moses  his  types  had  been, 
was  ‘‘  called  out  of  Egypt.’’  His  age  at  this  time 
was  probably  about  two  years,  perhaps  over  two. 

Upon  his  return  ‘^into  the  land  of  Israel”  Joseph 
seems  to  have  meditated  a  permanent  settlement  in 
his  native  Bethlehem.  But  learning  that  Archelaus, 
who  possessed  Herod’s  disposition  and  emulated  his 
cruelty,  had  received  the  southern  part  of  the  king¬ 
dom,  his  fears  for  the  safety  of  his  charge  returned. 
Galilee  was  under  the  control  of  Antipas,  a  compara¬ 
tively  mild  and  humane  prince,  and  hence  safety 
seemed  to  point  to  Nazareth,  the  place  of  Joseph’s 
former  residence.  Confirmed  by  an  impressive  night- 
vision,  in  his  inclination  to  return  to  the  province  of 
Antipas,  he  pushes  on  past  Judea  to  Nazareth  of 
Galilee.  Archelaus  was  banished  to  Vienna,  by  the 
Roman  Emperor,  in  the  tenth  year  of  his  reign ;  and 
it  is  doubtful  whether  Jesus  again  visited  Judea  while 
he  was  in  power. 

Here  then,  in  the  evil  village  of  Nazareth,  is  to 


196 


CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS. 


[period 


grow  up  the  holy  child.  Nature  made  his  youthful 
home  beautiful,  as  travellers  find  it  still,  a  sunny 
valley  begirt  with  mountains ;  but  its  inhabitants 
were  proverbially  debased.  The  pious  foster-father, 
Joseph,  would  have  chosen  a  residence  near  the  holy 
city,  that  his  miraculously  given  charge  might  grow 
up  near  the  temple.  But  he  who  was  “  to  read  with¬ 
out  having  learned,”  and  to  speak  as  one  having 
authority,”  had  no  need  of  the  instruction  of  scribe 
and  priest.  He  would  -not  be  indebted  to  human 
teachers,  nor  should  they  claim  the  honor  of  his 
instruction. 

The  record  of  the  childhood  and  youth  of  Jesus 
is  brief.  “  The  child  grew,  and  waxed  strong  in 
spirit,  filled  with  wisdom ;  and  the  grace  of  God  was 
upon  him.” 

He  ‘‘grew.”  Subject  to  the  common  laws  of 
growth  and  development,  he  passed  through  all  the 
phases  of  human  life.  Physically  and  mentally  his 
humanity  unfolded  itself  in  orderly  beauty.  He  was 
the  model  child.  He  “waxed  strong  in  spirit,”  and 
was  “  filled  with  wisdom  ;  ”  his  mind  was  not  dwarfed 
and  shaded  by  the  body.  The  original  harmony  and 
balance  was  maintained  in  his  expanding  constitution ; 
depravity  did  not  unhinge  the  better  reason. 

The  people  of  Nazareth,  however,  saw  in  him 
only  superior  acuteness,  amiableness,  and  purity. 
Even  his  own  familv  connections  could  not  discern 
the  budding  divinity  of  their  favorite.  He  “grew  in 


VISIT  TO  JERUSALEM. 


197 


I-] 

favor”  with  them;  but  they  knew  not  how  much  he 
also  grew  in  favor  ‘^with  God.”  The  meditative 
Mary,  and  perhaps  the  wondering  Joseph,  could  see 
that  ‘‘  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him.” 

Would  that  we  had  a  larger  picture  of  that  beau¬ 
tiful  childhood. 

[Luke  2:  41—52.] 

Twelve  years  were  regarded  by  the  Jews  as  com¬ 
pleting  the  period  of  childhood.  Then  began  the 
period  of  youth,  and  with  it  special  religious  instruc¬ 
tion  ;  the  study  of  the  law,  and  probably  the  first 
attendance  upon  the  passover  at  Jerusalem.  Hence, 
it  was  probably  in  obedience  to  legal  requisition  that 
Jesus  at  the  age  of  twelve  accompanied  his  parents  to 
the  feast.  Females  were  not  required  to  attend  the 
passover,  but  many  voluntarily  accompanied  their 
husbands,  fathers,  and  brothers ;  so  that  whole  fami¬ 
lies  and  entire  communities  often  joined  together, 
forming  a  large  caravan.  Such  companies  generally 
had  all  things  common  and  made  a  festal-season  of 
the  march  and  the  sojourn  at  Jerusalem. 

We  can  readily  conceive  that  the  meditative,  pious 
boy  would  find  the  atmosphere  of  the  temple  pecu¬ 
liarly  attractive.  Here  his  aspiring  mind  and  ardent 
soul  first  found  company.  The  sacrifices,  typical  of 
that  great  sacrifice  which  he  should  offer  in  due  time, 
the  reading  and  exposition  of  the  law,  and  the  theo¬ 
logical  discourse  of  the  priests,  scribes,  and  Pharisees, 

17* 


198 


JESUS  AMONG  THE  DOCTORS. 


[PERIOD 


absorbed  his  whole  attention.  He  eagerly  embraced 
the  opportunity  for  catechetical  instruction  sometimes 
offered  by  the  priests.  A  common  child  would  have 
found  other  objects  of  interest  and  wonder  in  the 
great  capital  of  the  theocracy.  But  Jesus  would  be 
about  his  Father’s  business.” 

Upon  the  first  day  of  the  march  homeward  after 
the  feast,  the  parents  supposing  Jesus  to  be  some¬ 
where  amongst  their  friends  in  the  caravan,  thought 
it  not  strange  that  they  had  not  seen  him  on  the  way. 
But  when  at  evening  he  could  not  be  found,  their  fears 
were  excited,  and  the  next  day  they  returned  seeking 
him.  The  second  day  passes ;  they  are  again  in 
Jerusalem  ;  but  no  one  can  tell  them  aught  of  the 
child.  The  third  day  comes,  and  the  search  continues. 
He  is  not  with  any  of  the  companies  of  children  in 
the  streets,  or  in  places  of  common  resort.  But  at 
last  he  is  discovered  sitting  like  a  rabbi  amongst  the 
Doctors  of  the  law,  and  joining  in  their  discussions. 
The  rabbins  marvel  at  the  answers  and  questions  of 
the  seemingly  precocious  child.  They  find  him 
strong  in  spirit,  filled  with  wisdom;”  and  all  who 
hear  him  listen  in  astonishment.  The  wonder  was 
that  at  an  age  when  children  were  expected  to  com¬ 
mence  the  study  of  the  law,  he  seemed  already  to 
have  mastered  it,  and  that,  too,  without  school  or 
teacher. 

His  answer  to  his  mother’s  inquiry,  wFy  he  had 
caused  them  this  search  and  anxiety  ?  shows  that  he 


I] 


YOUTH  OF  JESUS. 


1U9 


felt  already  the  dawning  consciousness  of  his  mission. 
As  if  a  youthful  haste  impelled  him  to  his  great  work, 
he  seemed  to  think  that  he  should  remain  at  the  seat 
of  the  theocracy,  and  at  once  begin  his  ministry.  So 
powerfully  had  the  imposing  services  he  had  witnessed 
wrought  upon  his  mind  that  he  felt  as  if  he  w^ere 
already  called  upon  to  be  up  and  doing.  But  his 
time  has  not  yet  come.  As  Moses  was  forced  to  flee 
into  Midian  and  await  God’s  time  to  deliver  Israel, 
so  must  the  ardent  boy  retire  again  to  his  humble  and 
unattractive  home.  With  a  ready  obedience  he  ac¬ 
companies  his  parents,  hiding  his  high  aspirations,  and 
serving  them  henceforth  with  filial  submission.  His 
reply  to  Mary  is  his  first  allusion  to  his  divine  gener¬ 
ation,  ‘‘  Wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  about  my  Father  s 
business  ?  ”  not  Joseph’s  business.  Though  just  from 
Nazareth,  he  felt  that  he  was  from  above,  that  in  a 
peculiar  sense  God  was  his  father.  Yet  as  a  son  he 
would  learn  obedience,  and  submit  to  his  human 
guardians. 

The  record  says  that  he  went  down  with  them, 
and  came  to  Nazareth,  and  was  subject  unto  them : 
but  his  mother  kept  all  these  sayings  in  her  heart.” 
The  prudent  Mary  made  no  boast  of  her  wonderful 
boy,  neither  could  she  forget  these  occasional  glimpses 
of  his  heavenly  origin  and  divine  mission. 

‘‘  And  Jesus  increased  in  wisdom,  and  stature,  and 
in  favor  with  God  and  man.”  And  this  is  all  that  is 
told  us  of  his  history  for  the  next  eighteen  years. 


200 


EDUCATION  OF  JESUS. 


[period 


How  unlike  is  this  biography  to  all  uninspired,  and 
particularly  all  fabulous,  histories  !  The  apocryphal 
New  Testaments  show  what  a  life  of  Jesus  uninspired 
men  would  write.  But  the  inspired  pen  is  concerned 
only  to  set  forth  his  public  ministry  and  mediatorial 
works,  and  hence  passes  with  a  few  characteristic 
strokes  straight  to  his  majority  and  the  great  events 
of  his  public  life.  The  brevity  of  the  Gospels,  and 
their  freedom  from  all  that  does  not  bear  directly 
upon  the  great  object  of  the  advent,  mark  them  as 
parts  of  the  sacred  canon. 

From  the  few  hints  left  us  relative  to  the  youth 
and  early  manhood  of  Jesus,  we  infer  that  he  re- 
mained  in  Nazareth,  probably  in  the  work-shop  of 
Joseph,  giving  no  further  indications  of  the  great 
purposes  that  were  growing  and  ripening  within  him, 
until  he  attained  the  age  of  thirty.  His  constitution 
continued  to  be  developed  in  the  same  rapid  manner 
until  he  attained  miaturity.  He  became  more  and 
more  a  fiivorite  in  society ;  and  a  seeming  prodigy  in 
wisdom.  Even  the  degraded  Nazarenes  could  find  no 
fault  in  him,  unless  it  were  his  superior  purity.  His 
amiableness  and  kindness  of  manner  doubtless  con¬ 
ciliated  those  who  would  otherwise  have  envied  and 
hated  him  for  his  goodness  and  wisdom. 

Respecting  his  education  we  are  only  informed 
that  he  was  never  taught  even  to  read,  in  the  ordinary 
way.  Hence,  the  question  of  those  Nazarenes  who, 
after  he  entered  upon  his  public  ministry,  heard  him 


EDUCATION  OF  JESUS. 


201 


I.] 

read  and  expound  the  law,  How  can  this  man  read, 
not  having  learned?”  Even  with  their  sneering 
envy  and  unbelief  they  could  not  deny  that  he  had 
this  miraculous  endowment. 

Sceptics  have  sought,  in  various  ways,  to  account 
for  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  afterward  exhibited  by 
Jesus. 

But  the  character  of  his  doctrines  and  the  style 
of  his  discourses,  as  well  as  the  Evangelists’  testi¬ 
mony,  prove  that  he  was  not  formed  in  any  of  the 
schools  of  his  age.  He  w’as  unlike,  and  superior  to, 
all  that  had  ever  before  appeared  in  the  world.' 
Nothing  could  be  truer  than  that  he  spake  ‘^as 
never  man  spake,”  both  as  to  style  and  matter. 
Some  things  may  be  found  that  were  common  to  him 
and  the  schools  of  that  day.  Pharisaism,  Sadducee- 
ism,  and  Essenism  had  each  some  truth  incorpo¬ 
rated  with  their  absurdities ;  and  with  whatever  of 
truth  they  possessed  Christ  agreed.  But  the  points 
of  agreement  were  few,  the  points  of  difference 
many. 

Christianity  has  several  points  of  agreement  with 
the  doctrines  of  the  Essenes,  e.  g.,  a  firm  belief  in 
God,  deep  religious  zeal,  the  prohibition  of  oaths  and 
of  slavery,  and  peculiar  attention  to  the  sick.  But 
Essenism  is  narrow  and  exclusive  ;  Christianity  broad 
and  catholic.  Essenism  is  a  legal,  monkish  mysti¬ 
cism  ;  Christianity  a  new,  active,  spiritual  life.  The 
latter  never  could  have  grown  out  of  the  former. 


EDUCATION  OF  JESUS. 


202 


[period 


Christ  could  not  have  drawn  his  doctrines  from 
such  a  source.  The  same  is  true  of  the  Alexandrine 
theology  and  philosophy.  Could  these  systems  have 
been  learned  from  their  wisest  teachers  by  the  Naza- 
rene  youth,  they  never  would  have  accounted  for  his 
preaching.  His  teachings  were  wholly  original ;  he 
evidently  drew  his  divine  oratory  from  the  depths 
of  his  own  spirit.  His  words  were  the  words  of  God, 
always  new  and  unlike  all  else.  In  fine,  the  Evange¬ 
lists  have  said  all  that  can  be  said  of  the  education 
of  Jesus.  He  ‘increased  in  wisdom,  and  the  grace 
of  God  was  upon  him.”  The  divine  light  was  grad¬ 
ually  unfolded  under  human  conditions,  not  because 
it  was  necessary  for  him  to  pass  through  the  common 
processes  of  development  and  culture,  but  in  order 
that  he  might  enter  into  all  the  experiences  and  sym¬ 
pathies  of  man,  and  thus  become  our  perfect  High 
Priest. 

His  experience  of  the  evil  of  sin  was  not  to  be 
internal,  but  to  be  gained  by  long  and  close  commun¬ 
ion  with  sinners  in  every  condition  of  life. 

We  may  regard  the  years  spent  in  Nazareth  as  a 
long  study  of  human  character  and  life,  as  it  appeared 
in  some  of  those  who  most  needed  redemption.  In 
the  shop,  in  the  field,  from  the  hill-tops,  in  the  cara¬ 
van  going  up  to  Jerusalem,  at  the  solemn  feast  and 
ceremonial,  in  the  temple  amongst  the  Doctors,  in  all 
places  and  circumstances,  Jesus  was  a  close  observer; 
and  thus  he  grew  familiar  with  the  human  heart  and 


I.]  JOSEPH. - BRETHREN  OF  JESUS.  203 

the  life  of  mankind.  Add  to  this  the  peculiar  favor 
of  God  which  rested  upon  him,  and  we  have  the 
secret  of  his  early  life  and  culture.  In  such  exer¬ 
cises  he  spent  his  youth,  and  by  communion  with  the 
Father  prepared  himself  to  enter  upon  his  high 
mission. 

Before  leaving  the  period  of  Jesus’  youth  and  of 
his  residence  at  Nazareth,  a  word  may  be  appropriate 
relative  to  Joseph  and  his  family. 

It  was  a  wise  and  kind  providence  that  selected 
the  fatherly  Joseph  to  be  the  guardian  of  this  young 
child  and  his  mother.”  The  character  and  conduct  of 
Joseph  after  his  espousal  of  Mary  prove  that  he  was 
a  just  man,”  as  the  Evangelist  says. 

Tradition  relates  that  he  was  a  widower  and  had 
children  before  his  marriage  to  Mary.  These  may 
have  been  they  who  were  called  the  brothers  and 
sisters”  of  Jesus.  Still,  it  is  not  improbable  that 
Joseph  had  younger  children  by  Mary.  Indeed  this 
seems  to  be  altogether  probable.  The  residence  at 
Bethlehem,  the  flight  and  sojourn  in  Egypt,  and 
many  other  incidents  of  the  history,  give  the  impres¬ 
sion  that  Joseph  had  no  other  family-charge  at  that 
time. 

But  whether  the  brethren  of  Jesus  were  or  were 
not  the  children  of  Mary  is  immaterial.  There  is 
nothing  improper  in  the  supposition  that  they  were. 
This  we  are  told,  that  though  they  had  grown  up  as 
companions  of  the  holy  child,  they  had  no  adequate 


204  JOSEPH  AND  MARY.  [PERIOD 

conception  of  his  superiority.  Familiarity  alone 
would  prevent  reverence,  and  blind  them  to  his  mer¬ 
its.  Hence,  during  his  lifetime,  they  were  unbelievers. 
Their  conversion  after  his  death  proves,  however,  that 
they  had  never  known  in  their  brother  anything 
inconsistent  with  his  claim  to  divinity.  Time  and 
reflection  compelled  even  them  to  admit  his  divinity ; 
and  that,  too,  after  he  had  been  cut  off,  and  all  hope 
of  his  temporal  kingdom  and  glory  had  faded.  Christ 
sought  no  emoluments  for  family  or  friends.  He 
went  his  own  rugged  way,  and  drew  after  him  none 
who  were  insusceptible  to  the  attractions  of  truth  and 
piety. 

Of  the  last  years  of  Joseph  nothing  is  told  us. 
Raised  up  to  be  the  early  protector  of  the  Virgin's 
son,  he  seems  to  have  fulfilled  this  mission  and  passed 
away  in  silence  before  the  majority  of  Jesus. 

Of  Mary,  during  the  period  under  consideration, 
we  know  only  that  she  was  the  discreet  matron  who 
guarded  her  household,  and  cherished  ‘^in  her  heart" 
the  strange  history  of  ‘‘her  first-born  son."  Provi¬ 
dence  granted  her  to  outlive  her  husband  and  to  see 
the  fulfilment  of  the  prophetical  message  brought  to 
her  by  the  angel,  and  also  of  the  bodeful  prediction 
of  Simeon,  that  a  “  sword  should  pierce  through  her 
own  soul." 

Such  is  the  story  of  the  youth  of  Messiah.  Thus 
the  Branch  of  Jesse  came  up  in  obscurity.  As  “  a 


I] 


YOUTH  OF  JESUS. 


205 


root  out  of  dry  ground”  there  is  no  attraction,  or 
comeliness  in  him,  for  the  worldly  and  the  proud. 
When  at  length  he  goes  forth  upon  his  great  mission 
‘‘he  shall  be  called  a  Nazarene.” 


PERIOD  II. 


^^COMMENCEMENT  OF  CHRIST’S  PUBLIC 

MINISTRY. 


[Luke  3:  1 — 18;  Matt.  3:  1 — 12;  Mark  1:  1 — 8.] 

In  his  visits  to  Jerusalem  to  attend  the  Passover 
Jesus  had  probably  met  his  second  cousin,  John  ;  or  at 
least  heard  something  respecting  him.  As  the  resi¬ 
dences  of  the  cousins,  Mary  and  Elizabeth,  were 
probably  nearly  one  hundred  miles  apart,  and  Mary 
had  been  obliged  to  flee  from  Judea  with  her  child, 
there  was  of  necessity  but  little  intercourse  between 
them.  The  sympathizing  mothers  may  have  made 
their  sons  aware,  to  some  extent,  of  the  great  promi¬ 
ses  that  were  miraculously  given  them.  Yet  so 
closely  did  they  keep  these  things  in  their  hearts, 
that  John  had  no  assurance  of  the  Messiahship  of 
Jesus,  until  it  was  miraculously  given  at  the  Baptism. 

Jesus  probably  had  a  more  thorough  knowledge 
of  John  and  his  mission.  Conscious  of  his  own  mis¬ 
sion  and  studious  of  the  Messianic  Prophecies,  he  no 


JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 


207 


doubt  early  discovered  that  he  was  to  be  publicly 
preceded  by  a  herald  who  should  cry  to  the  people, 
Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord.”  This  assurance, 
that  a  divine  providence  was  to  prepare  the  way  for 
his  public  ministry,  probably  allayed  the  ardor  and 
haste  exhibited  in  his  twelfth  year ;  and  made  Jesus 
content  to  remain  ^‘subject  to  his  parents,”  an  ob¬ 
scure  mechanic,  until  the  voice  of  the  herald  should 
prepare  the  way  for  his  public  manifestation. 

In  the  thirtieth  year  of  Jesus,  news  came  to  Naza¬ 
reth  that  a  new  and  great  prophet  had  arisen  in  the 
desert  of  Judea,  in  the  person  of  his  distant  relative. 
The  prophet  was  reported  to  be  a  stern,  wild,  moral 
giant  of  the  desert :  a  miracle  was  said  to  have 
attended  his  conception  and  birth ;  somewhat  of  mys¬ 
tery  hung  about  his  life.  Of  the  order  of  the  priest¬ 
hood,  strong  in  spirit,”  and  of  ardent  piety,  he  had 
early  betaken  himself  to  the  order  of  monks,  dwelling 
in  the  rocks  and  caverns  along  the  Dead  Sea.  But, 
unlike  the  other  recluses  of  the  age,  when  he  attained 
the  age  of  thirty,  the  age  at  which  priests  entered 
upon  public  service,  John  came  forth  as  a  public 
reformer.  Claiming  to  be  divinely  appointed,  and 
confirming  his  claim  by  his  fervid  eloquence,  his  stern 
rebuke  of  sin,  his  pure  doctrines  and  faultless  life, 
the  impression  made  by  him  was  startling  and  pro¬ 
found.  His  very  dress  and  demeanor  reproduced  and 
realized  the  idea  of  the  ancient  seers.  During  four 
hundred  years  there  had  been  no  prophet  in  Israel.” 


208  PREACHES  REPENTANCE.  [PERIOD 

But  the  seal  of  the  book  of  prophecy  bore  the  prom¬ 
ise,  ‘‘Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet 
before  the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of 
the  Lord.”  And  now  it  was  as  if  Elijah  had  come. 
There  was*“  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness. 
Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths 
straight.”  The  character  of  his  message  gave  to  this 
prophet  his  greatest  power :  “  Repent  ye,  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.” 

The  Jew^s,  and  the  world,  -were  looking  for  a  new 
king  and  kingdom,  a  kingdom  of  righteousness.  To 
the  galled  Jew,  fretting  under  the  Roman  yoke, 
nothing  could  be  more  attractive  than  the  prospect 
of  a  new  kingdom.  John,  in  the  spirit  and  power  of 
Elijah,  stands  up  alone  in  this  godless  age  to  proclaim 
wdth  trumpet  voice  the  approach  of  the  long  desired 
sign  of  Messiah.  His  voice  is  echoed  and  re-echoed 
between  the  banks  of  the  Jordan,  rolled  back  and 
repeated  over  the  hills  and  valleys  of  Judea,  and 
borne  onward  to  the  obscurest  villages  of  Palestine. 
The  nation  is  moved,  and  multitudes  throng  around 
the  preacher  to  receive  his  rite,  symbolical  of  repent¬ 
ance  and  preparation  for  citizenship  in  the  coming 
kingdom.  But  there  is  a  peculiarity  in  the  conditions 
proposed  by  him  for  admittance  into  that  kingdom, 
which  the  proud  and  self-righteous  can  ill  erdure. 
Count  not,  says  he,  upon  your  Abrahamic  descent  for 
admittance  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  “  1  baptize 
with  water,  but  there  comes  one  after  me  who  shall 


n.]  PREACHES  REPENTANCE.  209 

baptize  with  fire.”  Those  who  truly  repent  he  will 
baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  receive  into  his 
domain.  But  to  the  rest,  the  day  of  the  Lord  will 
be  great  and  dreadful.”  He  that  cometh  will  sit 
as  a  refiner,  and  purify  the  theocracy.  The  true 
wheat  he  will  gather,  but  the  chaff  he  will  burn  with 
fire  unquenchable.  Think  not,  says  John,  that  Mes¬ 
siah  will  need  you;  and  of  course  receive  you, 
because  you  belong  to  the  theocratic  people.  God 
can  raise  up  children  to  Abraham  from  the  very 
stones  under  your  feet.  Not  blood-relationship,  but 
purity  of  heart,  shall  be  the  condition  of  acceptance 
in  the  new  kingdom. 

Standing  between  the  new  and  the  old  dispensa¬ 
tions,  John,  with  others  of  his  age,  looked  for  a 
temporal  kingdom  and  visible  reign  of  Messiah.  Yet 
he  saw  clearly  that  only  the  truly  devout  should 
enter  his  kingdom,  and  that  it  would  embrace  Gen¬ 
tiles  as  well  as  Jews. 

The  mission  of  John  was  to  prepare  the  people 
rather  for  the  new  kingdom  than  for  the  king  himself. 
Hence,  he  at  first  received  no  divine  assurance  rela¬ 
tive  to  the  person  of  Messiah.  Of  this  he  is,  how¬ 
ever,  assured  that  Messiah  is  near,  and  that  he  shall, 
in  the  course  of  his  ministry,  discover  him.  At  the 
same  time  a  sign  is  given  him  by  which  he  may 
recognize  his  greater  successor.  I  knew  him  not; 
but  he  that  sent  me  to  baptize  with  water,  the  same 
said  unto  me.  Upon  whom  thou  shalt  see  the  Spirit 

18* 


210 


JESUS  LEAVES  NAZARETH. 


[PERIOD 


descending  and  remaining  on  him,  the  same  is  he 
which  baptizeth  with  the  Holy  Ghost.”  Anxiously, 
no  doubt,  did  the  haptizer  await  this  token,  as 
stranger  after  stranger  came  devoutly  forward  to 
receive  his  ordinance.  But  multitudes  came  and 
went,  and  the  arduous  labors  of  the  prophet  went  on 
increasing. 

Meantime  Jesus,  the  Nazarene,  begins  to  he 
about  thirty  years  of  age.”  Again  the  impulse 
kindles  within  him  to  ‘‘be  about  his  Father’s  busi¬ 
ness.”  From  afar  he  hears  the  voice  of  the  herald 
preparing  his  way  ;  from  the  hill-top  above  his  home 
he  gazes  yearningly  towards  Judea  and  the  Jordan. 
He  has  a  “baptism  to  be  baptized  with,”  and  is 
“straitened  till  it  be  accomplished.”  As  his  thir¬ 
tieth  birth-day  approaches  his  resolution  is  taken. 
His  quiet  citizen-life  must  end ;  he  must  away  into 
the  whirl  and  storm  of  public  service.  The  great 
work  of  mediation  presses.  A  gospel  is  to  be 
preached ;  a  model  life  exhibited,  and  an  atoning 
sacrifice  offered  for  the  world  ;  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
must  begin.  Farewell  sunny,  quiet  Nazareth;  fare¬ 
well  kind  mother  Mary,  and  kindly  Nazarenes ;  and 
farewell,  also,  peace  and  rural,  home  delights,  and 
quiet  meditation.  Henceforth,  the  Son  of  Mary  shall 
be  a  man  of  sorrows.  Soon  shall  suspicion,  envy, 
and  hate  track  the  amiable,  humble,  holy  Jesus.  But 
“  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the  world,  that  I  might 
work  the  works  of  him  that  sent  me.” 


II.]  JESUS  COMES  TO  JOHN  FOR  BAPTISM.  211 

.  The  ministry  of  John  is  the  transition  from  th^ 
old  dispensation  to  the  new.  His  baptism  was  the 
preparatory  rite  of  initiation  into  the  new  kingdom. 

Christ,  before  his  public  ministry,  lived  as  a 
disciple  of  Moses,  submitted  to  circumcision  and  the 
other  requisitions  of  the  law.  It  was,  therefore, 
natural  that  he  should  also  honor  by  his  observance 
the  transitionary  rite  of  John ;  thus  confirming  the 
Baptist’s  commission,  and  passing  through  the  com¬ 
mon  steps  which  united  the  old  and  the  new.  More¬ 
over,  an  outw^ard,  formal  inauguration  into  his  public 
ministry  would  seem  appropriate  for  the  man  Jesus. 
And  it  might  be  anticipated  that  he  who  was  to  end 
Messianic  Prophecy,  and  specially  herald  in  the 
Christ,  would  somewhere  meet  his  great  successor  and 
superior,  and  receive  the  seal  both  of  the  culmination 
of  his  own  ministry,  and  of  the  beginning  of  Christ’s. 

Jesus  had  no  need  to  be  baptized  unto  repent¬ 
ance,”  as  had  others  who  came  to  John.  Neither  had 
he  any  need  of  circumcision ;  nor  did  it  seem  appro¬ 
priate  that  the  redemption  of  the  first-born”  should 
be  paid  in  his  case,  in  infancy.  But  thus  he  would 
‘‘fulfil  all  righteousness;”  thus  he  would  honor  all 
divine  institutions  ;  thus  also  he  would  pass  from  the 
private  subject  to  the  public  leader,  prophet,  priest, 
and  king. 

John  had  received  assurance  that  he  should  see 
the  Spirit  descend  upon  the  Son  of  God;  and  the 
intimation  imported  that  this  miracle  would  attend 


212  JESUS  COMES  TO  JOHN  FOR  BAPTISM.  fPERIOD 

the  administration  of  his  ordinance.  Yet  he  could 
not  realize  the  truth  that  Messiah  should  submit  to 
his  inferior  baptism.  Hence  his  reluctance  when 
Jesus  appeared  and  demanded  the  rite. 

[Matt.  3:  13—17;  Mark  1 :  9—11;  Luke  3 :  21—23.] 

His  summer’s  ivork  was  drawing  to  a  close  ere  the 
Baptist  discovered  amongst  the  multitudes  about  him 
any  presence  that  struck  him  as  being  more  than 
human. 

But  one  day  in  early  autumn,  after  all  the  peo¬ 
ple  were  baptized,”  we  may  suppose, — after  the 
ordinary  labors  of  the  day  were  ended  and  the  con¬ 
gregation  had  retired,  as  the  weary  Baptizer  sat  by 
the  Jordan  musing  upon  his  mission  and  upon  the 
promise  of  Him  that  should  come, — of  a  sudden 
appeared  before  him  a  Galilean  of  humble  garb  and 
mien,  but  of  look  and  manner  peculiarly  devout  and 
impressive,  who  craved  the  rite  of  baptism. 

A  brief  conversation  disclosed  to  John  the  fact 
that  the  stranger  was  his  Nazar ene  relative,  of  whose 
miraculous  early  history  and  superior  wisdom  and 
purity  he  had  perhaps  heard.  A  long-cherished 
apprehension  that  this  Jesus  may  be  the  Messiah 
whom  he  was  to  proclaim,  revives^  within  the  mind 
of  John,  and  receives  so  strong  a  confirmation  from 
the  bearing  and  demeanor  of  Jesus,  that  it  becomes 
to  him  a  vivid  reality,  and  in  the  full  consciousness 
of  his  own  unworthiness  he  exclaims,  I  have  need 
to  be  baptized  of  thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me?” 


II  ]  JESUS  COMES  TO  JOHN  FOR  BAPTISM.  213 

Yielding  at  length  to  the  expostulation  of  Jesus, 
who  assures  him  that  it  is  proper,  considering  their 
present  relation,  John  being  the  forerunner,  he  reve¬ 
rently  proceeds  to  administer  the  ordinance.  His 
reverence  and  awe  are  increased  by  the  devout  atti¬ 
tude  of  Jesus,  who  himself  accompanies  the  ceremony 
with  prayer.  But  his  emotions  reach  a  thrilling 
climax  when  the  heavens  above  seem  to  open,  and 
amid  the  down-streaming  glory  the  prophet's  rapt 
vision  sees  as  it  were  a  descending  dove  hovering 
down  and  resting  upon  Jesus;  while  from  the  open 
heaven  falls  a  voice  as  of  the  Ancient  of  days,  say¬ 
ing,  This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased." 

Again  the  rent  sky  closes,  and  there  is  silence ; 
and,  following  the  guiding  Dove,  the  beloved  Son 
hastens  away  over  rock  and  defile  to  the  desert ;  and 
the  awe-struck  prophet  stands  as  if  spell-bound,  mur¬ 
muring,  in  ecstatic  bewilderment,  Upon  whom  thou 
shalt  see  the  Spirit  descending  and  remaining  on  him, 
the  same  is  he  which  baptizeth  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
I  see  and  bear  record  that  this  is  the  Son  of  God." 

Jesus  is  henceforth  Christ,  the  anointed.  The 
Spirit  he  possessed  before,  but  he  is  now  outwardly 
and  formally  consecrated  to  his  ministry.  His  bap¬ 
tism  signifies,  not  as  in  the  case  of  others,  a  new 
inner  life,  but  the  entrance  upon  a  new  external  life. 
This  is  his  ordination  and  inaugural.  The  miracle 
attending  the  baptism  seems  to  have  been  given  solely 


214 


John’s  testimony. 


[period 


to  establish  the  faith  of  John.  It  was  important  that 
the  last  of  the  prophetical  order,  who  was  also  the 
first  preacher  of  a  new  dispensation,  should  receive 
supernatural  evidence  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ. 
This  he  received  through  the  symbolical  descent  of 
the  Spirit,  and  the  voice  from  heaven.  Henceforth 
he  can  give  unqualified  testimony  to  the  Messiahship 
of  Jesus. 

But  as  it  is  rather  his  duty  to  proclaim  the  advent, 
and  the  approach  of  the  new  kingdom,  than  to  point 
out  the  person  of  Messiah  (who  would  doubtless  shine 
clear  enough  by  his  own  light  when  he  should  choose 
to  manifest  himself),  John  confines  his  knowledge  of 
Jesus  as  Messiah  to  a  few  of  his  more  apt  disciples, 
and  continues  his  preparatory  labors.  The  presence 
of  Christ  does  not  lead  him  to  sit  down  in  indolence ; 
but  rather  renews  his  zeal.  As  a  faithful  watchman 
he  resolved  to  stand  at  his  post  till  the  Master  recalled 
him. 

[Johnl:  19—28.] 

As  the  season  advanced,  the  fame  and  influence 
of  John  increased;  while  as  yet  Jesus  remained  in 
retirement  and  obscurity.  Many  of  the  people,  who 
knew  nothing  of  Jesus,  began  to  declare  their  belief 
in  the  Messiahship  of  John  the  Baptist.  Thereupon 
the  Sanhedrim,  who  had  before  taken  no  official  notice 
of  John,  sent  a  deputation  to  inquire  definitely  into 
his  pretensions  and  aims.  Suspecting  their  designs, 


II.]  JESUS  IN  THE  DESERT.  215 

John  answered  them  guardedly;  yet  he  gave  an 
unqualified  negative  to  the  question,  whether  or  no 
he  were  the  Christ?  The  friendship,  faith,  and  zeal 
of  multitudes  of  converts  never  induced  him  to 
cherish  a  thought  of  elevation  above  his  commission, 
as  herald  of  a  greater.  He  knew  well  his  own  place, 
and  was  content  with  it ;  he  would  not  be  called 
Messiah ;  he  would  not  even  be  called  Elias,  though 
Malachi  had  long  before  given  him  that  name,  because 
tradition  and  popular  belief  declared  that  the  Elias 
that  should  come  would  be  the  old  prophet  raised  to 
life. 

I  am  not  that  prophet,  I  am  not  Elias,  I  am  but 
a  voice ;  and  as  such  I  bid  you  prepare  to  meet  one 
whose  shoes’  latchet  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose.” 
Even  now,  says  he,  there  standeth  one  among  you 
whom  ye  know  not,”  but  who  is  preferred  before 
me.  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord.”  Thus  he 
announces  the  advent,  without  naming  Jesus. 

So  upright  and  faithful  to  his  trust  is  this  great 
reformer. 

[Matt.  4:  1 — II;  Mark  1:  12,  13;  Luke  4  :  1 — 13.] 

Near  forty  days  have  now  passed  since  the  baptism 
of  Jesus,  and  as  yet  he  remains,  no  one  knows  where. 
Though  formally  consecrated  to  his  ministry,  and 
though  his  life  had  been  all  a  preparation  for  his  mis¬ 
sion,  and  though  ^‘full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,”  he  will  • 
not  enter  hastily  and  rashly  upon  his  great  enterprise. 


216  JESUS  IN  THE  DESERT.  [PERIOD 

Son  of  God  as  he  is,  he  feels  the  need  of  retirement, 
meditation,  prayer,  and  self-discipline.  The  fulness 
of  the  Spirit,  the  consciousness  of  divinity,  do  not 
remove  the  feeling  of  human  weakness  and  depend¬ 
ence. 

The  proclamation  of  his  Sonship  at  the  baptism, 
and  the  feeling  that  now  his  great  enterprise  was  to 
begin,  seem  to  have  pressed  with  mountain  weight 
upon  the  soul  of  Jesus.  Occupied  with  his  great 
thoughts  he  wandered  away  through  the  mountains  in 
solitude,  amid  wild  beasts  and  dangers.  Uncon¬ 
sciously  he  threaded  the  dark  ravine,  scaled  the  dizzy 
crag,  and  trod  the  lone  cavern  of  the  beast  of  prey. 
None  can  tell  the  struggles  of  those  dark  days.  He 
contemplated  the  ruined  race  of  mankind,  the  great 
enterprise  he  had  undertaken  for  them,  the  plan  and 
means  by  which  he  should  accomplish  his  great  pur¬ 
poses,  and  the  killing  toils  and  sufferings  that  were  to 
attend  his  ministry.  Moreover,  the  ‘‘Tempter,’’  dark 
spirit  of  evil,  was  about  him.  Could  he  but  have 
seduced  the  oppressed  and  perplexed  Jesus  to  aban¬ 
don  his  project,  could  he  have  broken  the  holy  charm 
in  which  lay  the  secret  of  his  strength,  could  he  have 
fastened  but  one  sinful  thought  or  feeling  upon  that 
stranger  in  the  desert,  it  would  have  been  Satan’s 
grandest  triumph. 

It  was  with  Jesus  the  contest  between  Adam  and 
the  Serpent,  between  sinless  humanity  and  the  wily, 
wicked  Devil.  In  this  sore  spiritual  conflict  the 


II.] 


Christ’s  hunger. 


217 


wants  of  the  body  were  forgotten.  Forty  days  of 
abstract  meditation  and  inward  struggles  were  spent 
in  fasting.  Hunger,  peril,  wild  beasts,  and  demons 
beset  the  beloved  Son,  while  he  pondered  the  work  of 
redemption  and  prayed  for  guidance  and  strength. 

Three  specific  devices  of  the  Devil,  perhaps  his 
last  efforts  at  this  time,  are  recorded  as  samples  of 
the  temptations  suffered  during  these  forty  days. 

The  first  was  a  wily  appeal  to  the  bodily  appetites 
of  Jesus,  a  device  to  ensnare  him  by  the  law  of  the 
flesh.” 

We  can  well  believe  that  after  forty  days'  fasting 
Jesus  hungered.”  Starting  at  last  from  his  reverie 
and  deep  meditations,  like  one  awaking  from  a  de¬ 
lirious  dream,  he  became  conscious  of  exhaustion  and 
almost  insupportable  hunger.  But  he  was  in  the 
dreary  desert  where  not  even  the  locusts  and  wild 
honey”  that  nourished  the  Baptist  could  be  obtained. 
To  seek  the  habitations  of  man  in  this  exhausted 
state  seemed  next  to  impossible.  How  should  he 
obtain  a  morsel  of  meat  to  prevent  starvation  ?  The 
tempter  suggests  a  feasible  and  speedy  plan.  Why, 
faint  and  feeble,  seek  food  in  the  ordinary  way  ?  1 
have  now  miraculous  power,  why  not  use  it  for  my 
own  benefit  ?  As  God  gave  the  Israelites  bread  from 
heaven,  why  shall  not  I  change  these  stones  into 
food?”  Thus  arise  the  tempter's  suggestions  in  the 
mind  of  Jesus.  The  principle  involved  was  distrust 
of  Providence  and  the  use  of  miraculous  power  foi 

19 


218  CHRIST  ON  THE  TEMPLE.  [PERIOD 

selfish,  sensual  ends.  With  an  appropriate  text  Jesus 
fortified  himself,  rose  above  the  evil  thought,  and 
foiled  the  tempter.  Thus  he  triumphed  once  for  all 
over  the  carnal  appetite,  and  showed  himself  superior 
to  the  flesh,  and  determined  not  to  free  himself  from 
the  weaknesses  and  toils  incident  to  other  men.  Nor 
in  all  his  ministry  would  he  ever  use  his  supernatural 
power  to  overcome  the  diflSculties  and  dangers  that 
beset  him.  At  any  time  he  might  have  summoned 
^^more  than  twelve  legions  of  angels”  to  his  aid. 
But  he  'would  rather  confide  in  that  common  Provi¬ 
dence  who  supplies,  in  his  own  wise  way,  his  children’s 
wants.  Nor  could  such  confidence  be  vain.  In  due 
time  angel’s  minister”  to  the  fainting  Saviour. 

Returning  consciousness  of  his  natural  wants  now 
seems  to  have  led  the  wanderer  to  the  abodes  of  men, 
still  occupied  with  his  weighty,  bodeful  thoughts,  and 
still  haunted  by  the  te'mpter.  We  see  him  next  upon 
a  dizzy  height  on  the  south  side  of  the  temple,  stand¬ 
ing  as  in  a  dream.  Seven  hundred  feet  below  him 
lies  the  valley.  As  he  gazes  down  from  this  giddy 
height,  the  watchful  fiend  insinuates  a  new  train  of 
dangerous  thoughts.  Jesus’  mind  now  runs  upon  fate, 
and  providence,  and  free  will,  and  kindred  doctrines. 
Then  comes  up  the  question,  how  far  God  will  now 
sustain  and  guard  him  ?  He  shall  give  his  angels 
charge  over  thee,  and  in  their  hands  they  shall  bear 
thee  up,”  whispers  the  tempter.  Good  Scripture, 


II.]  CHRIST  ON  THE  HIGH  MOUNTAIN.  219 

doubtless.  Then  prove  God's  truth  and  the  com¬ 
pleteness  of  his  providence  and  thy  own  acceptance 
by  leaping  off  this  pinnacle.”  But  Jesus  can  quote 
Scripture  to  better  purpose.  ‘‘  Thou  shalt  not  tempt 
the  Lord  thy  God”  is  his  reply.  God  will  no  doubt 
guard  his  children  in  real  danger.  But  let  no  one 
throw  himself  needlessly  into  danger  in  order  to  test 
God’s  faithfulness,  or  to  gratify  an  idle  curiosity. 
God  works  no  miracles  to  dissipate  our  doubts.  Thus 
Jesus  rises  above  that  dark,  distrustful,  questioning 
disposition  to  which  men  of  deep  thought  and  inward 
struggles  are  liable.  The  Spirit  that  tempted  him 
was  that  which  led  a  Manfred  to  the  Alpine  cliff,  and 
a  Faust  to  barter  his  soul  to  the  Devil.  But  Faust 
and  Manfred  knew  not  how  to  triumph  by  a  simple 
faith  in  God,  as  did  Jesus. 

The  last  temptation  of  this  period  would  have 
been  a  still  more  powerful  appeal  to  human  selfishness 
and  weakness. 

Retreating  again  to  the  desolate  mountains,  as  if 
fleeing  from  the  evil  spirit  that  tracked  him,  the 
agitated,  weary  Jesus  climbs  the  highest  peak  of  the 
rugged  mountains  and  gazes  abroad  from  this  eleva¬ 
tion  upon  the  surrounding  kingdoms,  into  which 
Palestine  is  divided.  Here  lies,  in  open  view  around 
him,  the  field  of  his  coming  toils,  and  the  miniature 

A 

of  that  kingdom  which  he  is  to  found  and  govern. 

These  kingdoms  are  now  sunk  in  sin,  and  to  intro¬ 
duce  here  a  kingdom  of  righteousness  by  common 


220  THE  TEMPTATION.  [PERIOD 

means  is  a  long  and  laborious  task.  Toil,  persecu¬ 
tion,  death  itself,  and  ages  of  missionary  culture 
must  precede  the  regeneration  of  this  beloved  land. 
True,  the  promise  of  the  whole  earth  for  Christ’s 
inheritance  is  sure.  But  how  long  and  severe  the 
process,  if  his  kingdom  be  developed  gradually  from 
an  inner  germ  of  spiritual  life. 

Here  is  the  tempter’s  last  hope.  Again  he  whis¬ 
pers  to  the  musing,  weary  one  his  evil  counsel. 

Why  wait  the  long,  sore  process  of  developing  a 
pure,  spiritual  kingdom  ?  Why  not  yield  something 
to  the  spirit  of  the  age,  erect  a  temporal  throne, 
pander  to  the  carnal  ambition  of  the  nation,  and  at 
once  assume  dominion?  True,  this  plan  involves  the 
present  support  of  the  idolatry  and  demon-worship 
now  in  vogue  ;  but  will  not  the  end  justify  the  means  ? 
Once  established  on  a  sure  throne,  as  you  may  soon 
be  by  using  your  miraculous  power  for  the  attainment 
of  the  people’s  wishes,  you  may  afterward,  at  leisure, 
reform  and  improve  your  empire.  This  theocracy 
may  at  once  be  under  your  control  by  yielding,  in  a 
politic  way,  a  little  present  homage  to  the  God  of 
this  world.” 

Thus  cunning  sophistry  is  addressed  to  the  ambi¬ 
tion  and  human  haste  and  love  of  ease  which  Jesus  as 
a  man  may  be  supposed  to  feel  in  common  with  other 
men. 

But  the  firm  purpose  of  redemption  and  of  the 
establisliment  of  a  spiritual  kingdom  by  self-denying 


II.] 


THE  TEMPTATION. 


221 


toil,  and  the  feeling  of  supreme  devotion  to  the 
Father’s  will  rise  again  triumphant.  Summoning  his 
wearied  energies  for  one  final  stroke  and  rising  in 
stern  majesty  and  rebuke,  with  somewhat  of  divine 
authority,  he  thunders  upon  the  fiend — ^‘  Behind  me, 
Satan  !  God  only  shall  be  worshipped  !  ” 

Awe-struck  and  terrified  the  foiled  demon  sinks 
away.  The  beloved  Son  feels  the  burden  of  tempta¬ 
tion  roll  off* ;  a  holy  calm  and  peace  come  over 
him.  He  looks  up  longingly  to  his  loving  Father, 
who  smiles  down  his  approval.  Anon  the  mountain 
becomes  his  Father’s  house,  he  sits  at  heaven’s  ban¬ 
quet,  and  angels  minister  to  the  weary  victor.  Thus 
ends  the  first  sore  trial  of  the  Man  of  sorrows. 

It  was  a  contest  between  the  created  will,  sus¬ 
tained  by  a  divine  purpose,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
old  prince  and  power  of  evil,  on  the  other.  But  the 
tempter’s  tares  could  not  root  in  the  sacred  soil. 
There  was  in  Jesus  no  aflBnity  for  his  suggestions. 

Yet  the  temptation  affords  one  of  the  best  exhibi¬ 
tions  of  the  perfect  humanity  of  our  Lord.  Truly  he 
was  ‘‘  tempted  in  all  points,  like  as  we  are,  yet  with¬ 
out  sin.” 

By  such  discipline  the  human  nature  of  our  Lord 
was  prepared  for  his  public  ministry  and  active  life. 
The  process  was  swift,  but  fierce  and  terrible.  Hence¬ 
forth  it  is  settled  that  the  created  humanity  shall  be 
sacrificed  to  the  divine  purpose,  that  the  spirit  of  the 
world  shall  be  resisted,  and  that  the  kingdom  of 

19* 


222  THE  LAMB  OF  GOD.  [PERIOD 

heaven  shall  come  by  slow,  gradual,  spiritual  develop¬ 
ment,  growing  outward  from  the  internal  life  of  its 
founder. 

[John  1 :  29-42.] 

While  this  internal  preparation  was  going  on  in 
the  mind  of  Jesus,  John  the  Baptist,  as  before 
remarked,  continued  his  preaching  in  the  valley  of 
the  Jordan.  As  yet  he  mentions  his  discovery  of  the 
Christ  to  no  one,  though  his  remark  to  the  committee 
of  the  Sanhedrim,  that  Messias  was  amongst  them, 
implied  that  he  knew  him,  whom  he  tells  them 
explicitly  they  know  not.  The  next  day  after  the 
visit  of  the  Pharisees,  as  John  and  some  of  his  dis¬ 
ciples  stand  upon  the  east  bank  of  the  river  near 
Bethlehem,  or  Bethany,  Jesus  approaches  them.  He 
advances  with  an  air  of  peculiar  meekness  and  calm¬ 
ness.  The  storm  that  had  passed  over  him  in  the 
desert  left  him  serene  and  placid.  His  gentle  bear¬ 
ing,  connected  with  the  Baptist’s  previous  medita¬ 
tions,  suggests  forcibly  to  his  mind  the  beautiful 
picture  of  Isaiah,  ‘‘  He  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the 
slaughter,”  etc. ;  and  pointing  towards  him  he  ex¬ 
claims,  in  hearing  of  John  and  Andrew,  two  of  his 
disciples,  Behold  the  lamb  of  God  which  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world  !  ”  This  is  he  of  whom  I 
said.  After  me  cometh  a  man  which  is  preferred 
before  me ;  for  he  was  before  me.  And  I  knew  him 
not ;  but  that  he  should  be  made  manifest  to  Israel, 
therefore  am  I  come  baptizing  with  water.” 


II.]  Christ’s  first  followers.  223 

Thus  John  the  Baptist  first  directs  the  attention 
of  the  most  susceptible  of  his  own  disciples  to  the 
Saviour. 

As  Jesus  was  now  about  to  enter  upon  his  public 
instructions  he  probably  came  to  the  theatre  of  the 
Baptist’s  labors,  naturally  expecting  to  find  there  the 
best  preparation  and  starting  point  for  his  own  labors. 

The  conduct  of  John  is  noteworthy.  He  is  ready 
to  give  up,  even  his  own  disciples,  to  Jesus;  and 
regards  it  as  the  culmination  of  his  mission  to  point 
out  to  them  the  ‘^Lamb  of  God.” 

The  language  of  the  Baptist  shows  that  he  had 
correct  views  of  the  mission  of  Christ.  He  speaks  of 
him  as  a  sacrificial  lamb  to  take  away  sin.  Doubtless 
there  was  something  prophetical  in  this  announcement 
which  John  himself  but  partly  comprehended.  Yet 
he  seems  to  have  understood  that  Christ  would 
undergo  a  severe  struggle  with  the  worldly  and 
wicked,  and  would  in  the  end  establish  a  kingdom 
into  which  the  purified  should  be  admitted. 

Heretofore  John  had,  in  general  terms,  proclaimed 
a  coming  Messiah.  Now  he  points  to  the  person  of 
Messiah,  and  declares,  ‘‘this  is  Ae”  of  whom  I  spake, 
my  successor,  who  is  also  my  predecessor,  and  greater 
far  than  I.  This  testimony  made  a  deep  impression 
upon  the  minds  of  the  two  disciples  of  John  who 
heard  it.  As  Jesus  turned  to  depart  they  felt  an 
irrepressible  desire  to  accompany  him  ;  and  though 
too  respectful  to  thrust  themselves  upon  him,  follow 


224  JESUS  RETURNS  INTO  GALILEE.  [PERIOD 

at  a  distance,  intimating  thus  their  disposition. 
Kindly  encouraged  by  Christ  they  proceed,  and  spend 
with  him  the  remainder  of  the  day.  Whether  the 
evening  was  spent  at  the  house  of  a  friend,  or 
whether  they  had  an  opportunity  thus  early  to  learn 
that  the  Son  of  man  had  not  where  to  lay  his 
head,”  we  are  not  informed.  But  their  intercourse 
with  him  strengthens  their  belief  in  his  Messiahship. 
This  Andrew  proves  immediately  by  seeking  out  his 
brother  Simon,  who  was  amongst  the  disciples  of  the 
Baptist,  and  bringing  him  to  Jesus,  telling  him  that 
they  have  found  the  Messias.”  Looking  upon 
Simon,  Christ  discerns  in  him  the  stern  energy  wLich 
afterwards  characterized  him,  and  tells  him  that  he 
shall  henceforth  be  called,  not  Simon,  but  Cephas  or 
Eock. 

• 

Thus  Christ  collects  the  first  rudiments  of  his 
church.  Gradually  these  three  draw  the  attention 
of  others  to  him  who  had  so  powerfully  impressed 
themselves ;  gradually  they  become  more  and  more 
strongly  attached  to  their  new  Master.  And  thus  in 
obscurity  and  silently  the  new  life  embodies  itself  and 
becomes  a  society,  a  church,  a  kingdom,  henceforth 
indestructible  and  destined  to  overturn  and  absorb  all 
other  kingdoms. 


[John  1  :  43—51.] 

It  is  now  late  in  the  fall ;  the  winter  or  rainy 
season  is  about  commencing.  Jesus  purposes  to 


JESUS  RETURNS  INTO  GALILEE. 


225 


II.] 


spend  this  season  in  Galilee,  and  the  next  day  after 
the  interview  with  John,  Andrew,  and  Simon,  inti¬ 
mates  to  them  his  intention  to  set  out  immediately  for 
the  north.  They  determine  to  accompany  him,  and 
are  joined  by  Philip  who  also  believes  in  the  Messiah- 
ship  of  the  Nazarene,  and  who  is  from  Bethsaida, 
the  city  of  Andrew,  Peter,”  and  John.  Philip 
chances  to  meet  an  old  and  worthy  acquaintance  from 
the  village  of  Cana,  to  whom  he  announces  his  belief 
that  Jesus,  the  Nazarene  and  son  of  Joseph,  is  he 
^‘of  whom  Moses  in  the  law  and  the  prophets  did 
write.” 

It  seems  impossible  to  Nathanael  that  Messiah 
can  come  out  of  Galilee.  He  is  a  candid,  open 
hearted  man,  and  knows  the  wickedness  of  his 
country.  And  he  can  recall  no  prediction  that  Naz¬ 
areth  should  produce  the  Christ.  Still,  he  is  open 
for  conviction,  and  accedes  to  the  request  of  Philip  to 
^‘go  and  see”  the  man  who  had  so  powerfully 
impressed  his  friend.  As  he  approaches,  Christ,  dis¬ 
cerning  his  candor  and  uprightness,  receives  him 
with  a  remark  that  indicated  a  knowledge  of  his 
character.  Surprised  to  find  himself  complimented 
by  the  Nazarene  as  a  guileless  Israelite,  Nathanael 
inquires  how  Jesus  has  received  this  knowledge  of 
himsein  His  surprise  is  deepened  and  his  belief  of 
Christ’s  omniscience  awakened  by  the  answer,  that 
before  he  had  been  called  by  Philip  when  ‘‘  under  the 
fig-tree,”  probably  in  private  devotion,  and  sure  that 


226 


THE  MARRIAGE  AT  CANA. 


[PERIOD 


no  man  knew  it,  Jesus  -saw  him.  The  open  hearted 
Nathanael  is  easily  convinced,  and  despite  his  preju¬ 
dices  declares,  Rabbi,  thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  and 
king  of  Israel.”  Jesus  assures  him  that  his  incipient 
faith  shall  hereafter  be  confirmed  by  far  more  start¬ 
ling  exhibitions  of  his  knowledge  and  power.  You 
shall  see,  said  Jesus,  ‘^heaven  open”  for  ‘‘the  Son 
of  Man ;  ”  referring  to  the  future  miracles  which  the 
disciples  were  destined  to  witness. 

[John  2:  1—12.] 

We  hear  nothing  further  of  this  little  company 
until  the  third  day  after  the  above,  when  we  find  them 
attending  a  marriage  festival  at  Cana,  the  place  of 
Nathanael’s  home,  seven  miles  north  of  Nazareth. 
Perhaps  in  part  through  Nathanael’s  influence,  Jesus 
and  his  new  friends  are  all  invited  to  the  feast.  Here 
also  Jesus  meets  his  widowed  mother  with  the  other 
members  of  her  family. 

We  can  only  guess  the  feelings  of  the  mother  or 
the  Son  at  this  meeting.  Since  their  separation  the 
latter  had  passed  through  new  and  important  scenes  ; 
and  the  anxious  mother’s  heart,  with  its  great  hopes 
and  expectations,  had  no  doubt  followed  her  First-born. 

He,  as  an  afifectionate  son,  no  doubt  confided  his 
designs  and  procedure  in  part  at  least  to  his  trusty 
mother.  She  seems  at  least  to  understand  that  he  is 
about  entering  upon  his  great  work.  And  with  some¬ 
what  of  a  mother’s  zeal  in  the  adventure  of  a  son, — 


II.] 


WATER  TURNED  INTO  WINE. 


227 


with  also  somewhat  of  the  common  Jewish  notion 
that  it  was  a  temporal  throne  and  kingdom  which  her 
son  was  to  establish, — she  longs  to  see  him  come  forth 
from  obscurity  and  at  once  exhibit  his  true  character 
and  power. 

Before  the  festival  closes,  an  incident  occurs  which 
affords  her  an  opportunity  to  suggest  to  Jesus  her  de¬ 
sire  to  see  him  exhibit  to  the  guests  his  supernatural 
endowments.  The  wine  has  failed  ;  could  you  not 
make  this  the  occasion  to  introduce  yourself  as  Lord 
of  nature  and  friend  of  man?”  So  runs  the  thought 
which  Mary  scarcely  ventures  to  express  ;  but  it  finds 
no  second  in  Jesus.  Partly  in  reproof  he  answers 
sternly,  Woman,  what  have  I  to  do  with  thee?” 
My  purposes  and  thine  lie  far  apart.  My  time  for 
miraculous  displays  has  not  yet  come ;  nor  will  it 
ever  come  for  mere  display. 

Yet,  from  something  in  his  look  or  tone,  she  seems 
to  have  surmised  his  design,  and  therefore  bade  the 
domestics  obey  whatever  directions  Jesus  might  give 
them.  Though  shunning  display,  Jesus  condescends 
to  contribute  to  the  entertainment  of  the  guests,  by 
furnishing  the  wine,  in  a  private,  unostentatious 
manner.  The  unimpeachable  testimony  of  a  few 
witnesses  to  the  reality  of  the  miracle  is  secured,  and 
thus  the  faith  of  his  young  disciples  strengthened. 
But  so  quietly  is  the  affair  conducted  that  not  even 
the  master  of  ceremonies,  who  praises  the  wine,  knows 
its  origin.  So  meekly  and  unostentatiously  does 


228  WATER  TURNED  INTO  WINE.  [PERIOD 

Christ  begin  his  astounding  series  of  ‘^mighty 
works.” 

We  need  not  discuss  the  rank  which  this  transac¬ 
tion  should  occupy  in  the  series  of  miracles ;  nor 
answer  the  puerile  sneers  of  those  who  cavil  about  the 
quantity  and  quality  of  the  wine.  Enough  that  it 
was  an  indisputable  miracle  wrought  to  confirm 
Christ’s  Messiahship.  The  occasion  is  worthy  of 
peculiar  remark.  It  was  but  a  few  days  since  that 
we  saw  the  Anointed  in  the  desert,  treading  the 
lonely  mountains  and  the  dens  of  wild  beasts,  op¬ 
pressed  with  crushing  thoughts,  and  struggling 
against  the  machinations  of  the  prince  of  darkness. 
But  the  night-mare  of  his  trial  and  temptations  has 
passed.  His  sojourn  in  solitude  was  short ;  and  now 
he  comes  forth,  calm,  cheerful,  and  prepared  to  enter 
freely  into  the  social  enjoyments  of  life.  Not  that 
his  earnestness  and  gravity  have  gone.  But  he  has 
nothing  of  moroseness,  or  monkish  austerity ;  he 
•  deigns  to  honor  and  sanctify  by  his  presence  a  mar¬ 
riage  festival,  and  contributes  to  its  enjoyment.  He 
is  still  the  amiable  and  cheerful  person  who  formerly 
‘^grew  in  favor  with  God  and  man.”  His  great  pur¬ 
poses  are  silently  cherished  in  the  dephths  of  his 
divine  heart,  while  he  goes  forth  to  add  to  the  pres¬ 
ent  happiness  of  all  he  meets.  Such  is  the  spirit  of 
Christ  and  of  Christianity, — a  spirit  that  nourishes  all 
pure,  human  affections,  and  seeks  to  refine  and 
increase  all  innocent,  social  enjoyments, — a  spirit  that 


II.]  CHRIST  LABORS  IN  OBSCURITY.  229 

enters  naturally  into  the  daily  life  of  mankind  and 
sanctifies  all  relationships  and  intercourse. 

This  incident  at  Cana  is  all  that  we  know  respect¬ 
ing  the  labors  of  Christ  in  Galilee  during  the  first 
winter  of  his  ministry.  We  are  told  that  he  and  his 
mother  with  her  family,  together  with  the  disciples 
who  had  attached  themselves  to  him,  went  from  Cana 
to  Capernaum,  a  town  lying  upon  the  lake  shore, 
about  twenty  miles  north-east  from  Cana,  in  the  vicin¬ 
ity  of  Bethsaida.  Their  stay  here  was  short.  It 
would  seem  that  the  time  between  this  and  the  Pass- 
over,  which  occurred  in  April,  was  spent  in  the 
vicinity  of  lake  Gennesaret,  or  sea  of  Galilee. 
Doubtless  it  was  well  employed  by  Christ  in  private 
intercourse  with  the  people  of  the  several  villages  of 
that  region.  Probably  he  found  a  home  in  the  fam¬ 
ilies,  and  among  the  relatives  of  Peter  and  Philip, 
and  others  who  believed  in  his  Messiahship.  Naza¬ 
reth  seems  to  have  had  no  attractions  for  him  during 
this  period.  Probably  Mary  no  longer  had  her  home 
there.  And  the  moral  elements  of  the  place  were 
not  as  favorable  for  Christ’s  mission  as  could  be 
found  in  other  towns  of  Galilee. 

Although  Jesus  had  now  fairly  commenced  his 
ministry,  he  seems  not  to  have  taken  the  attitude  of 
•>  public  preacher,  until  after  his  return  from  Judea, 

'  '  next  fall.  The  first  year  after  his  baptism  was 
.<  jstly  occupied  in  private  intercourse  with  individuals 

20 


230 


CHRIST  LABORS  IN  OBSCURITY. 


or  small  companies.  Nor  did  he  commence  preaching 
publicly  to  large  congregations,  until  after  the  impris¬ 
onment  of  John  the  Baptist.  By  protracted,  private 
labors  and  occasional  miracles  he  laid  the  foundation 
for  his  more  public  discourses,  which  were  at  length 
absolutely  demanded  by  the  multitudes  who  thronged 
about  him.  The  basis  of  his  fame  and  influence  was 
laid  in  the  hearts  of  obscure  individuals,  and  on  such 
occasions  as  the  evening  at  Bethabara  with  John  and 
Andrew,  the  meeting  with  Nathanael,  the  unobtrusive 
miracle  at  Cana,  and  afterward  the  interview  with 
Nicodemus,  and  with  the  woman  of  Samaria.  The 
kingdom  which  he  founds  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard 
seed,”  w’hich  at  first  is  indeed  ‘‘the  least  of  all 
seeds,”  but  in  time  develops  a  mighty  growth. 


PERIOD  III. 


FROM  THE  FIRST  TO  THE  SECOND  PASS- 
OVER  DURING  CHRIST’S  PUBLIC 

MINISTRY. 


April  has  come,  and  the  waving  grain  tells  that 
harvest  is  near.  Caravans  are  forming  throughout 
Palestine  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  to  attend  the  Pass- 
over,  and  present  the  first  sheaves  to  the  God  of  the 
seasons. 

Among  the  pilgrims,  that  wind  along  the  valley 
of  the  Jordan  from  Galilee  to  Judea,  is  the  earnest 
Jesus.  He  goes  not  as  formerly  silent  and  unob¬ 
served;  he  is  now  the  man  of  note  amongst  the 
Galileans.  Some  call  him  a  prophet ;  a  few  name 
him  Messias.  What  will  he  do  at  Jerusalem?  Gos¬ 
sip  would  be  lively  if  the  Galilean  should  come  in 
collision  with  the  Rahbies  of  the  royal  city.  The 
reflective  Mary  remembers  how  he  astonished  those 
learned  dignitaries,  when  he  first  attended  the  Pass- 
over,  eighteen  years  since.  But  they  have  long  since 
forgotten  the  wonderful  boy. 


232 


JESUS  PURIFIES  THE  TEMPLE.  [PERIOD 


[John  2:  13—25.] 

Arrived  at  Jerusalem,  Jesus  surveys  with  peculiar 
interest  his  ‘^Father’s  house,”  and  all  that  pertains 
to  it.  With  reverent  step  he  enters  its  courts.  His 
mind  is  full  of  devout  meditations  relative  to  the  holy 
place.  But  how  is  he  grieved  by  the  profanations 
that  he  witnesses  ?  The  temple  wears  the  appearance 
of  a  market.  Instead  of  pious  worshippers,  he  meets 
a  noisy,  bustling  crowd  of  worldlings.  Here  he  is 
accosted  by  a  bantering  broker ;  there  he  meets  a 
huckster  with  a  cage  of  doves ;  or  a  vendor  of  fat 
cattle  for  sacrifice.  The  idle,  the  curious,  and  the 
avaricious  are  there ;  but  the  true  worshippers  are 
few.  Nowhere  does  he  see  prayer,  reverence,  or  pro¬ 
priety.  The  beloved  Son  cannot  see  his  Father  thus 
dishonored ;  burning  with  holy  zeal  he  begins  to 
remonstrate.  His  voice  rises  in  stern  rebuke  above 
the  din  of  the  multitude,  Take  these  things  hence ; 
make  not  my  Father’s  house  an  house  of  merchan¬ 
dise.”  His  words  wither  the  sacrilegious  intruders. 
Raising  a  braided  lash,  emblematic  of  his  authority, 
he  passes  along  bidding  them  retreat.  Such  are  his 
dignity  and  decision,  and  the  conviction  of  guilt  sud¬ 
denly  awakened  in  their  minds  by  his  fierce  argument, 
that  there  is  no  resistance.  As  he  dashes  down  the 
broker’s  coffer  and  overturns  their  tables,  each  guilty 
one  with  his  litter  retreats,  until  the  courts  are  free, 
and  his  Father’s  house  may  be  used  as  a  “  house  of 
prayer.” 


I 


III.] 


NICODEMUS. 


233 


The  humbled  Jews  soon  rally  and  demand  by  what 
authority  he  does  these  things.  A  prophet  might 
introduce  reforms;  but  what  sign  showest  thou”  of 
a  divine  commission  ? 

Little  disposed  to  gratify  their  demand  for 
signs,”  he  answers  them  in  a  prophetical  enigma, 
containing  indeed  the  highest  sensible  sign  of  his 
Messiahship,  yet  a  sign  not  comprehensible  until  its 
fulfilment  in  his  resurrection.  Destroy  this  temple, 
and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up.”  Christ’s  own 
person  was  well  called  the  temple  and  dwelling  place 
of  God,  as  it  was  the  highest  manifestation  of  Deity 
to  man.  And  as  from  the  old  theocracy  and  ruined 
temple  were  to  come  forth  the  new  and  spiritual,  a 
double  meaning  may  have  been  embodied  in  this  sig¬ 
nificant  though  obscure  sign.”  Taking  the  re¬ 
mark,  however,  as  an  arrogant  assertion  that  he 
could  in  three  days  do  what  had  been  nigh  half  a 
century’s  work  for  a  king  with  royal  resources,  they 
henceforth,  to  the  day  of  his  crucifixion,  lay  it  up 
against  him. 

[John  3:  1—21.] 

During  the  Passover  Christ  finds  occasion  to  per¬ 
form  several  striking  miracles.  These  serve  to  con¬ 
firm  at  least  his  high  prophetical  calling.  Even  the 
candid  few  amongst  the  higher  and  learned  classes  are 
convinced  of  his  inspiration.  Amongst  them  is  Nic- 
odemus,  a  man  of  candid  mind  and  docile  disposition, 
20* 


234  NICODEMUS.  [PERIOD 

who  is  convinced  that  the  Messiah  will  soon  appear 
and  set  up  his  kingdom.  In  common  with  others  of 
the  age  he  looks  for  a  temporal  kingdom  into  which 
he  and  all  other  upright  Israelites  shall  be  of  course 
admitted. 

Satisfied  by  the  astounding  miracles  of  Christ 
that  he  is  a  prophet,  although  looked  upon  with  sus¬ 
picion  and  somewhat  of  contempt  by  most  of  the 
Pharisees,  Nicodemus  seeks  and  obtains  a  private 
interview  with  the  Galilean.  Sharing  the  common 
pride  and  weakness  of  his  order,  he  comes  to  Jesus  in 
the  evening  that  his  visit  may  not  attract  attention. 

The  manner  in  which  Jesus  receives  and  enter¬ 
tains  this  first  one  of  the  influential  order  who  comes 
to  him  is  noteworthy.  Human  policy  would  say, 
Fasten  this  Pharisee;  he  may  be  of  service  here¬ 
after. 

But  no  such  policy  does  Christ  practice.  He  will 
not  even  gratify  the  curiosity  of  Nicodemus  so  much 
as  to  tell  him  when  the  new  kingdom  is  to  come.  The 
man  has  a  higher  want  than  this  knowledge,  and 
Jesus  regards  his  spiritual  interests  more  than  his 
curiosity  or  friendship. 

Discerning  at  once  that  Nicodemus  relies  for 
admittance  into  the  Messiah’s  kingdom  upon  his  gen¬ 
ealogy  and  punctilious  morality,  Christ  directs  his 
mind  from  the  time  and  peculiarities  of  the  new  the¬ 
ocracy  and  his  own  relation  to  it,  to  the  sole  condi¬ 
tion  of  admittance  into  it.  You  regard  me  as  sent 


III.] 


REGENERATION. 


235 


of  God,  and  would  learn  somewhat  respecting  his 
kingdom,  for  which  you  and  the  nation  are  looking. 
But  know  of  a  certainty  that  except  a  man  be  born 
again  he  cannot  see’'  that  kingdom.  ^^Born  again,” 
returns  the  scribe,  surprised  and  confused  at  the 
strange  sentiment,  and  unable  for  the  moment  to 
attach  to  it  any  other  than  a  carnal  meaning — Born 
again;  how  can  a  man  be  born  when  he  is  old?” 
Reflection  might  have  suggested  to  Nicodemus  a  new 
birth  akin  to  what  the  Gentile  proselytes  were  some¬ 
times  said  to  experience  when  circumcised  and  bap¬ 
tized  into  the  theocracy.  But  the  novel  idea  of  a 
new  birth  for  a  Hebrew  quite  bewildered  him. 

Beginning  now  with  an  allusion  to  the  baptism  of 
John,  which  might  be  comprehensible  to  Nicodemus 
as  the  type  of  something  higher,  Christ  proceeds  to 
describe  more  definitely  the  character  and  eflicient 
agent  of  that  new  birth  which  ever  constitutes  the 
starting  point  and  basis  of  the  Christian  life.  The 
carnal  offspring  of  whatever  lineage  is  not  fit  for  the 
kingdom  of  God ;  a  new  generation  of  water  and  of 
the  Spirit  is  necessary.  The  inscrutable,  air-like 
spirit  of  God  must  w^ork  its  purifying,  life-giving 
change  within  the  heart.  The  confused  scribe  can 
only  ejaculate  his  surprise,  How  can  these  things 
be?”  Whereupon  Christ,  in  his  characteristic  man¬ 
ner,  proceeds  to  humble  him  for  his  ignorance  while 
professedly  a  master  in  Israel,  assuring  him  that  this 
is  but  a  rudimental  doctrine.  Moreover,  Messiah  is 


236  LABORS  rx  judea.  [period 

coming  in  a  far  different  manner  from  that  in  which 
the  Jews  expect  him  to  appear.  As  admission  into 
his  kingdom  demands  a  new  birth,  so  his  work  will  he 
one  of  humiliation  rather  than  of  glory.  He  is 
coming  to  save  from  death  those  who  wdll  look  to  him 
in  faith.  ‘‘The  Son  of  man’'  shall  be  lifted  up,  as 
was  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  for  the  healing  of 
those  who  love  light  and  truth  and  look  to  him  for 
salvation. 

Thus  Christ  casts  the  seeds  of  Christianity  into 
the  mind  of  this  Pharsisee,  leaving  them  to  germinate 
and  occupy  his  leisure.  In  this  brief  conversation 
we  get  the  first  statement  of  that  great  doctrine  on 
which  the  Gospel  rests, — Regeneration  through  faith 
in  the  Son,  by  the  mysterious  inworking  of  the 
Spirit.  It  was  appropriately  given  first  to  a  man  of 
culture  and  thinking  habits;  and  its  strangeness  to 
him  shows  us  the  high  origin  of  the  doctrine. 


[John  3  :  22—36.] 

Having  at  the  Passover  prepared  the  way  for  a 
favorable  reception  in  various  quarters,  since  many 
amongst  those  wRo  witnessed  his  miracles,  “  believed 
on  him,”  Jesus,  after  the  feast,  goes  out  into  the 
various  towns  of  Judea  with  his  disciples,  teaching, 
confirming  his  commission  by  mighty  works,  and  by 
proxy  baptizing  converts  ;  as  John  the  Baptist  was 
still  doing  in  the  region  of  the  Jordan. 

About  eight  months,  from  April  to  December, 


m] 


LABORS  IN  JUDEA. 


237 


seem  to  have  been  spent  in  Judea  at  this  visit.  Re¬ 
specting  his  works  and  influence  we  have  few  partic¬ 
ulars  ;  but  one  or  two  remarks  show  that  Jesus  was 
busy,  and  that  his  ministry  during  this  period  pro¬ 
duced  a  great  sensation.  So  successful  was  he  that 
towards  the  latter  part  of  this  period  the  disciples  of 
John  became  jealous  of  him,  and  a  contention  arose 
between  them  and  some  of  the  Jews  who  were  bap¬ 
tized  by  the  disciples  of  Christ,  respecting  the  com¬ 
parative  value  of  the  .two  baptisms.  This  sectarian 
controversy  respecting  a  mere  symbolical  ordinance 
was  a  means  of  terminating  this  fruitful  effort  in 
Judea,  as  it  excited  the  attention  and  suspicion  of  the 
Pharisees,  and  determined  Christ  to  change  the  field 
of  his  labors. 

The  narrow-minded  disciples  of  John,  who  come 
to  their  master  complaining  that  all  men  come” 
now  to  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  to  whom  thou  barest 
witness,”  receive  but  little  sympathy  from  the  Bap¬ 
tist.  John  knows  full  well  that  his  mission  is  short, 
and  that  he  must  be  lost  in  the  radiance  of  that 
brighter  sun  that  is  now  rising.  Christ’s  success,  he 
tells  them,  is  a  proof  that  God  is  with  him.  At  the 
same  time  he  reminds  them  that  he  ever  disclaimed 
Messiahship,  assuring  them  that  he  is  only  a  herald 
and  attendant  of  the  real  bridegroom  to  whom  the 
church  belongs ;  and  that  he  greatly  rejoices  in  the 
voice  of  his  friend  and  master.  To  introduce  the 
bridegroom,  Christ,  to  the  theocracy,  his  bride  was 


288  JOHN  BAPTIST  IMFIIISONED.  [PEBIOD 

my  mission,  and  it  is  ended.  Henceforth  ^^he  must 
increase,  but  I  must  decrease.”  These  words  are 
accompanied  with  still  higher  attestations  of  Christ’s 
inspiration  and  divinity. 

This  prediction  of  his  owm  speedy  decline  may 
have  been  based  in  part  upon  the  evident  signs  of  the 
times.  Not  only  was  Jesus  attracting  greater  atten¬ 
tion  now  than  John,  but  the  latter  knew  that  the 
profligate  Herod  and  his  minions  were  already  plot¬ 
ting  his  ruin.  The  stern  preacher  of  repentance 
could  not  fail  to  incur  the  hatred  of  a  corrupt  court. 

A  few  days  after  this  the  faithful  herald  was 
seized  by  Herod’s  orders  and  imprisoned.  Hence¬ 
forth  he  pines  lonely  and  disconsolate  in  the  fortress 
of  Machaerus,  away  up  by  the  desolate  mountains  of 
Moab. 

[Matt.  4:  12;  14:  3 — 5;  Mark  1 :  14;  6  :  17 — 20;  Luke  4;  14; 

3:  19—20;  John  4:  1—42.] 

Hearing  of  the  imprisonment  of  John  and  the 
jealousy  of  the  Pharisees  towards  himself,  Christ  now 
resolves  to  retire  from  Judea,  and  again  spend  the 
winter  in  Galilee. 

The  Samaritans  were  at  this  time  expecting  the 
advent  of  Messiah,  and  were  free  from  many  of  the 
prejudices  which  hindered  the  progress  of  truth  in 
the  minds  of  the  Jews.  Jesus,  free  from  the  bigotry 
which  separated  Jews  and  Samaritans,  and  perhaps 
desiring  to  give  his  disciples  an  example  of  liberal- 


III.]  JOURNEY  THROUGH  SAMARIA.  239 

mindedness,  resolves  to  take  the  shorter  route  to 
Galilee,  through  Samaria. 

Late  in  the  month  of  November,  on  a  certain  day 
about  noon,  a  woman  of  the  city  of  Sychar  or  She- 
chem,  comes  out  to  Jacob's  well,  about  three  hun¬ 
dred  paces  south-east  of  the  city,"  to  draw  water. 
Approaching  she  sees  a  man,  evidently  a  travelling 
Jew,  weary  and  soiled,  reclining  by  the  well.  To 
her  surprise  the  mild  stranger  asks  her  for  a  drink. 
You  a  Jew  and  ask  drink  of  me,  a  Samaritan, 
responds  the  woman.  Diverting  her  mind  from  the 
subject  of  their  diversity  and  national  prejudices, 
with  that  rare  tact  which  he  often  exhibited,  he  turns 
it  to  the  contemplation  of  spiritual  things.  Under 
the  figure  of  a  living  fountain  he  tells  her  of  the 
salvation  which  he  alone  can  give.  Having  excited 
her  curiosity  and  gained  her  confidence,  he  convinces 
her  that  he  is  a  prophet,  by  declaring  to  her  a  few 
facts  of  her  private  history,  such  as  a  stranger  could 
only  know  by  supernatural  means.  Perceiving  that 
he  is  a  prophet  she  naturally  falls  back  upon  the  old 
theme  of  contention  between  Jews  and  Samaritans, 
the  relative  claims  of  Mt.  Gerizim  and  Mt.  Zion,  as 
places  of  worship — Our  fathers  worshipped  here,  on 
this"  fertile  Gerizim  that  looks  so  smilingly  down 
upon  us,  ‘‘Ye  say  that  Jerusalem  is  the  place"  to 
worship.  His  answer  is  characteristic  of  his  whole 
manner.  Alluding  to  the  rejection  of  prophecy  by 
the  Samaritans,  and  to  the  developuient  of  divine 


240  JESUS  AT  SYCHAR.  [PERIOD 

truth  and  the  Messianic  idea  amongst  the  Jews,  he 
gives  the  preference  to  the  latter,  but  makes  this  only 
a  preamble  for  the  presentation  of  the  spirituality  of 
that  worship  which  is  henceforth  to  be  offered  to 
God.  Salvation  shall  spring  out  of  Zion ;  but  the 
time  is  coming,  and  come,  when  the  true  worshippers 
shall  be  confined  to  no  prescribed  locality.  Both 
Gerizim  and  Jerusalem  are  superseded  by  a  higher 
dispensation.  God’s  worship  shall  no  more  consist  in 
altar-forms  and  rites.  The  time  of  pilgrimages  and 
periodical  convocations  and  emblematical  ceremonies 
is  past.  Henceforth  the  Father  seeks  such  as  wor¬ 
shippers  who  worship  “in  spirit  and  in  truth.”  Isot 
in  spirit  alone,  as  mere  visionaries  and  mystics.  Not 
in  truth  alone,  by  mere  intellectualisms  ;  but  in  spirit 
and  in  truth.  By  a  spiritual  communion  with  God 
through  the  truth ;  by  a  participation  of  the  divine 
life  which  is  truth  and  spirit,  may  man  everywhere 
find  a  temple  and  approach  unto  the  Most  High. 
True  worship  is  the  homage  of  a  truthful  spirit 
wherever  that  homage  be  offered. 

Thus  Christ  calmly  announces  to  this  poor  woman 
the  highest  truth  of  religion,  and  at  once  sweeps 
away  the  formalisms  of  the  world.  The  woman, 
deeply  impressed  by  his  discourse,  hastens  back  to 
the  city  to  tell  the  people  that  she  has  found  the 
Christ. 

Meantime,  the  disciples,  who  had  gone  into  the 
city  to  obtain  food,  have  returned  and  stand  in  silent 


III.]  JEWS  AT  SYCHAR.  241 

wonder  to  see  their  Master  converse  with  a  Samaritan 
woman.  Upon  her  departure,  they  spread  out  their 
purchase,  and  ask  him  to  partake.  But  his  mind 
is  absorbed  with  the  high  theme  of  which  he  has  been 
discoursing,  and  the  contemplation  of  that  great  work 
which  lies  before  him,  and  the  faint  beginning  of 
which,  on  foreign  soil,  has  just  been  made  in  the 
mind  of  this  woman.  The  weariness,  faintness,  and 
hunger  which  he  had  experienced,  are  forgotten  in 
these  earnest  thoughts.  He  excuses  himself  from 
eating,  telling  his  urgent  disciples  that  he  has  other 
food,  of  which  they  know  not ;  that  it  is  his  meat  to 
do  the  will  and  complete  the  work  of  him  that  sent 
him.  The  thought  of  that  work  presses  heavily  upon 
him.  He  sees  that  these  Samaritans  are  already  pre¬ 
pared  to  receive  Christianity.  The  whole  world  is 
waiting  for  Him  or  his  Gospel.  Though  but  seed¬ 
time  in  the  natural  world,  the  spiritual  world  is 
whitening  for  the  harvest.  Glancing  forward,  how¬ 
ever,  into  the  great  future,  and  contemplating  his  own 
early  death,  to  occur  before  the  work  be  scarce  begun, 
he  feels  that  he  is  but  sowing  seed,  the  fruits  of  which 
others  may  reap.  Yet  sower  and  reaper  are  one,  and 
may  at  last  rejoice  together. 

At  the  solicitation  of  the  Samaritans,  who  came 
in  crowds  at  the  call  of  the  woman,  Jesus  remains 
two  days  in  Samaria,  sowing  that  seed,  of  which  the 
Apostles  afterwards  reaped  the  fruit.  So  open-hearted 
were  the  Samaritans,  that,  although  no  miracles  were 

21 


242  RETURN  TO  GALILEE.  [PERIOD 

performed  amongst  them,  many  believed  in  his  Mes- 
siahship,  convinced  by  his  words  and  demeanor  that 
he  was  indeed  the  Saviour  of  the  world.” 


[John  4 :  43—45  ;  Matt.  4 :  17  ;  Mark  1 :  14—15  ;  Luke  4 :  14—15.] 

Leaving  Samaria,  Jesus  proceeded  into  Galilee, 
where  he  was  generally  well  received.  The  Galile¬ 
ans  seem  to  have  at  this  time  exhibited  much  of  that 
enthusiasm  which  an  inferior  people  are  wont  to  mani¬ 
fest,  when  one  of  their  countrymen  has  obtained 
notoriety  abroad.  They  had  no  definite  views  of  his 
Messiahship,  but  they  had  seen  him  at  Jerusalem  sur¬ 
pass  the  pretensions  of  the  Hierarchy,  and  had  heard 
of  his  wonderful  works.  In  his  native  town,  Naza¬ 
reth  alone,  as  would  be  anticipated,  the  fame  of 
Jesus  bred  envy  and  contempt.  Hence  he  avoided 
the  place  until  his  reputation  was  elsewhere  firmly  es¬ 
tablished. 

Of  Christ’s  labors  and  ^experience  during  the  suc¬ 
ceeding  months,  from  December  to  April,  we  have  but 
a  few  fragmentary  records.  From  these  we  learn, 
that  he  now  entered  the  synagogue  as  a  public  teacher, 
and  itinerated  through  the  towns  of  Galilee,  Preach¬ 
ing  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  saying, 
the  time  is’  fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  of  God  is  at 
hand;  repent  ye,  and  believe  the  Gospel.”  And  as 
his  preaching  was  accompanied  with  acts  of  charity 
and  miraculous  physical  agency  in  behalf  of  the  suf¬ 
fering,  he  was  glorified  of  all.” 


III.]  HEALING  OF  THE  NOBLEMAN’s  SON.  24"] 

It  is  noteworthy  that  only  one  miracle  had  been 
performed  in  Galilee  until  Christ’s  present  mission ; 
and  that  the  next  miracle  was  wrought  in  the  same 
village  as  the  first.  Perhaps  the  transformation  of 
water  at  the  marriage  had  wrought  favorably  upon 
the  people  of  Cana ;  or  the  residence  of  friends  in 
that  place  may  have  drawn  Jesus  thither  upon  his 
return  from  Judea. 

[John  4 ;  46 — 54.) 

It  is  soon  rumored  about  Galilee  that  Christ  has 
returned,  and  is  at  Cana.  A  man  of  rank  and  politi¬ 
cal  consequence  at  Capernaum,  twenty  miles  north¬ 
east  from  Cana,  whose  son  is  dangerously  ill,  hears 
that  Jesus  is  in  that  place,  and  immediately  starts  to 
find  him,  and,  if  possible,  bring  him  to  Capernaum  to 
heal  his  child.  This  man  has  a  faith  in  the  power  of 
Christ  to  heal  diseases,  but  he  is  driven  by  affliction 
to  seek  him,  not  by  any  consciousness  of  his  spiritual 
wants.  The  Gallileans  had  not  the  open-hearted¬ 
ness  of  the  Samaritans.  They  would  not  believe  be¬ 
cause  of  the  words  of  Jesus.  Hence  he  says  to  the 
nobleman,  with  somewhat  of  rebuke,  “Except  ye  see 
signs  and  wonders,  ye  will  not  believe.”  A  truth- 
hardened  people  are  less  susceptible  than  Samaritans 
or  Pagans. 

The  anxiety  of  the  nobleman  was  to  secure  some¬ 
thing  like  a  physician’s  visit.  “  Sir,  come  down  ere 
my  child  die.”  Jesus  did  not  hold  himself  subject  to 


244  VISIT  AT  NAZARETH.  [PERIOD 

I 

such  calls;  yet  he  saw  in  the  Capernaan  a  suscepti¬ 
bility  for  spiritual  impressions,  and  resolved  to  heal 
his  son.  He  would  do  it,  however,  in  a  manner  calcu¬ 
lated  to  develop  the  munificence  of  his  power,  and  to 
awaken  a  deeper  faith.  To  the  earnest  entreaty  of 
the  nobleman,  he  calmly  replies,  ‘‘  Go  thy  way,  thy 
son  liveth.”  But  there  is  an  emphasis  in  this  calm 
utterance  that  quiets  the  anxiety  of  the  father;  he 
silently  departs  believing  the  word  of  the  great  phy¬ 
sician.  On  the  way  his  servants  meet  him  with  the 
joyful  news  of  his  son’s  convalescence.  Upon  care¬ 
ful  enquiry,  it  appears  that  the  fever  left  him  at 
the  same  hour  in  which  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Thy  son 
liveth.”  It  now  appears  not  only  that  Jesus  can  heal 
diseases,  but  that  he  is  independent  of  time  and  space. 
He  can  exert  his  healing  power  in  a  moment,  and 
upon  an  invalid  twenty  miles  distant,  whom  he  had 
probably  never  seen,  as  efficiently  as  if  he  were  be¬ 
side  him.  As  a  result  of  this  miracle,  the  nobleman 
and  his  whole  household  believe,  and  a  favorable 
opening  is  made  in  Capernaum  for  Christ’s  future  la¬ 
bors  and  residence. 

[Luke  4:  16—31  ;  Matt.  4:  13—16.] 

Before  going  to  Capernaum,  Jesus  returned  to 
traverse  once  more  the  vale,  and  climb  the  hills 
which  had  been  the  haunts  of  his  youth.  The  Naza- 
renes  were  full  of  curiosity.  The  fame  of  their  citi¬ 
zen  had  reached  them,  and  had  awakened  a  desire  to 


Til.]  VISIT  AT  NAZARETH.  245 

hear  him  and  to  witness  some  of  his  mighty  works. 
Consequently,  when  upon  the  sabbath  he  appeared  in 
the  synagogue,  in  the  teacher’s  place,  all  eyes  were 
upon  him. 

As  he  proceeded  to  read  and  expound  the  beauti¬ 
ful  prediction  of  his  own  mission,  contained  in  the 
sixty- first  chapter  of  Isaiah,  they  listened  with  won¬ 
der  and  admiration.  But  it  was  an  idle  wonder. 
None  of  them  realized  their  own  need  of  the  spiritual 
deliverance  predicted  by  Isaiah,  and  offered  to  them 
in  the  person  of  Jesus ;  no  one  asked  for  his  healing 
mercy  for  either  spiritual  or  bodily  infirmity.  Christ 
discovered  no  susceptibility  in  them  for  a  true  faith. 
They  were  eager  for  a  sign,  and  determined  that  he 
should  gratify  their  carnal  curiosity ;  but  this  was  all. 

In  accordance  with  his  character,  Christ  rebuked 
their  carnal  desire  of  supernatural  signs,  refused  to 
work  a  miracle  to  gratify  their  curiosity,  and  by  cita¬ 
tions  from  sacred  history  showed  them  that  the  gifts 
and  graces  of  God  are  dispensed,  not  indiscriminately, 
but  here  and  there  according  to  divine  wisdom. 
Moreover,  he  tells  them,  ^^No  prophet  is  accepted  in 
his  own  country,  intimating  that  he  does  not  look  for 
a  just  appreciation  from  them,  and  that  it  would  be 
vain  to  exhibit  to  them  the  evidences  of  his  divine 
commission. 

This  sudden  frustration  of  their  expectations 
arouses  their  malignity,  and,  under  pretence  of  pun¬ 
ishing  a  false  prophet,  they  furiously  urge  Jesus  to  a 
21* 


246 


VISIT  AT  NAZARETH. 


[PERIOD 


precipice  south-west  of  the  city,  determined  to  cast 
him  down.  ‘‘But  he,”  in  the  simple,  yet  significant 
words  of  the  evangelist,  “passing  through  the  midst 
of  them,  went  his  way.” 

Leaving  Nazareth,  Jesus  took  up  his  residence,  so 
far  as  he  had  a  residence,  at  Capernaum.  Some  time 
was  now  spent  in  that  vicinity,  and  a  deep  impression 
made  upon  the  minds  of  many.  We  are  told  that  the 
people  pressed  around  him  in  crowds  “to  hear  the 
word  of  God.”  Thus  he  began  the  fulfilment  of 
Isaiah’s  prediction,  that  the  land  of  Zebulon  and 
Naphtali,  “the  people  that  walked  in  darkness”  and 
dwelt  “in  the  land  of  the  shadow  of  death,”  should 
see  “a  great  light.” 

[Luke  5:  1—11;  Matt.  4:  18—22;  Mark  1:  16—20.] 

An  incident  occurred  here  of  peculiar  interest, 
because  of  its  influence  in  confirming  the  faith  and 
attachment  of  several  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus ; 
though  to  us  the  miraculous  element  of  the  event  is 
less  striking  than  that  exhibited  upon  some  other  oc¬ 
casions. 

Early  one  day,  as  Jesus  was  walking  along  the  lake 
shore,  a  crowd  of  listeners  gathered  about  him,  eager 
to  hear  him  discourse.  Peter  and  Andrew,  and  their 
partners  Zebedee  and  his  sons,  who  had  been  toiling 
as  fishermen  all  night  upon  the  lake,  had  drawn  up 
their  boats  upon  the  shore,  and  were  washing  and  re¬ 
pairing  their  nets. 


III.]  MIRACULOUS  DRAUGHT  OF  FISHES.  247 

Entering  Peter’s  boat  and  requesting  him  to  shove 
oflF  a  few  paces  from  land,  Jesus  sat  upon  the  boat  in 
the  still  morning,  and  preached  to  the  people  on 
shore. 

Having  ended  his  address,  he  bids  Peter  launch 
out  into  deep  water  and  let  down  his  net.  The  fruit¬ 
less  toil  of  the  night,  as  well  as  the  direction  to  launch 
out  into  deep  water  where  success  was  never  expected, 
gave  Peter  no  encouragement.  But  he  was  deeply 
impressed  with  reverence  for  Jesus,  and  therefore  re¬ 
plies,  notwithstanding  the  discouragements,  ^‘at  thy 
word  I  will  let  down  the  net.”  And  no  sooner  has  he 
obeyed  than,  to  the  astonishment  of  himself  and  his 
companion,  the  net  is  filled  so  as  to  be  unmanageable. 
The  other  boat  and  its  crew  are  called,  and  each  ves¬ 
sel  returns  to  the  shore  laden  with  fish  to  its  utmost 
capacity. 

Contemplating  this  astonishing  draught,  and  feel¬ 
ing  that  only  a  miraculous  providence  could  have  se¬ 
cured  it,  the  emotions  of  Peter  become  indescribable. 
It  seems  to  him  that  the  immaculate  God  has  come 
down  into  his  rude  vessel ;  and  at  once  self  shrinks 
away,  he  feels  how  mean  are  man  and  earth  before 
the  Most  Holy ;  and  cries  out,  as  one  infected,  De¬ 
part  from  me ;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  0  Lord !” 

The  feelings  of  Peter  are  also  experienced  by 
Andrew  and  by  the  sons  of  Zebedee ;  their  faith  in 
the  divine  mission  of  Christ  is  confirmed ;  and  as 
he  proceeds  to  invite  them  into  closer  relationship  to 


248  THE  DEMONIAC  IN  THE  SYNAGOGUE.  [PERIOD 

himself,  promising  that  henceforth,  as  his  ambassa¬ 
dors,  they  shall  become  “fishers  of  men,”  gather 
souls  into  his  kingdom,  they  leave  all  and  follow  him. 
Henceforth  they  are  inseparably  joined  to  Christ. 

The  miraculous  “  draught  of  fishes”  doubtless  had 
a  peculiar  impressiveness  to  those  men,  which  it  has 
not  for  others.  Men  are  more  deeply  affected  by  a 
supernatural  occurrence  in  their  own  pursuits,  and  on 
familiar  ground,  than  by  a  distant  though  greater 
marvel. 

The  fame  of  Christ  now  spread  rapidly,  as  his 
sui’prising  works  increased.  Capernaum  became  the 
centre  of  “a  great  light,”  and  the  stage  on  which 
were  wrought  “many  mighty  works.” 

The  achievements  of  a  single  sabbath,  as  recorded 
by  the  evangelists,  will  give  us  a  conception  of  the 
amazing  rapidity  and  seeming  ease  with  which  Christ 
executed  the  most  stupendous  deeds. 

[Mark  1;  21—28;  Luke  4:  31—37.] 

The  sabbath  following  the  discourse  by  the  sea 
side,  Jesus  as  usual  preached  to  the  people  of  Caper¬ 
naum  in  the  synagogue. 

In  the  congregation  was  one  of  those  most  wrecked 
and  wretched  of  men  called  demoniacs ;  men  who 
seemed  to  bear  in  their  tormented  souls  and  shattered 
intellects,  as  well  as  distressed  bodies,  the  ripest  fruits 
of  degradation  and  sin;  men  who  believed  themselves 
given  up  for  the  habitation  of  devils,  and  who  were 


ni.]  Peter's  mother-in-law  &  others  healed.  249 

supposed  to  have  forfeited  to  demons  the  control  of 
their  own  faculties  and  organs.  The  authoritative 
manner  in  which  Jesus  propounded  his  pure  doctrines 
and  divine  precepts  aroused  the  spirit  of  evil  in  this 
demoniac,  and  starting  up,  at  length,  he  cried  out  as 
one  in  anguish,  Let  us  alone,  what  have  w'e  to  do 
with  thee,  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ?  art  thou  come  to  des¬ 
troy  us  ?  I  know  thee  who  thou  art,  the  Holy  One  of 
God.  The  shuddering  and  wTathful  outbreak  of 
this  demoniac  perhaps  interrupted  the  discourse  of 
our  Lord,  but  did  not  disturb  his  equanimity.  Con¬ 
scious  that  he  was  indeed  the  Holy  One  of  God,”  he 
fixed  his  calm,  commanding  eye  upon  the  maniac,  say¬ 
ing  to  the  spirit  of  evil  that  rioted  in  him,  Be  still, 
and  come  out  of  him.”  Hearing  this,  the  demoniac 
with  one  wild  scream  plunged  headlong  ‘‘  in  the 
midst;”  and  with  that  fierce  convulsion  his  madness 
passed  away.  What  thing,  or  what  new  doctrine  is 
this?”  say  the  astonished  spectators  ;  for  with  au¬ 
thority  commandeth  he  even  the  unclean  spirits,  and 
they  do  obey  him.”  And  forth,  as  on  the  wings  of  the 
wind,  flies  the  rumor  of  this  miracle.  Each  member 
of  the  dispersing  congregation  is  a  herald  of  the  pow¬ 
er  of  Jesus. 

[Matt.  8:  14 — 17;  Mark  1:  29 — 34;  Luke  4  :  38 — 41.] 

Leaving  the  synagogue,  Jesus  and  his  four  disci¬ 
ples,  the  flshermen,  enter  the  house  of  Peter,  whose 
mother-in-law  lies  there  severely  ‘‘sick  of  a  fever.” 


250  peteVs  mother-in-law  &  others  healed,  [period 

Learning  her  condition,  the  compassionate  Physi¬ 
cian  approaches,  takes  her  by  the  hand,  and  anon  the 
burning  heat  is  gone ;  a  bracing  coolness  is  in  that 
touch ;  the  prostrate  woman  revives,  arises,  is  well, 
and  proceeds  to  assist  in  the  preparation  of  a  meal 
for  the  family  and  their  guests. 

Meantime  the  report  of  the  demoniac’s  cure  has 
spread  through  the  city,  and  preparations  are  making 
in  every  afflicted  family  to  carry  their  sick  to  the 
healer. 

The  sabbath  may  not  be  infringed  upon ;  but 
anxiously  the  sinking  sun  is  watched,  and  when  at 
length  the  last  beam  fades  from  the  city,  and  the  le¬ 
gal  sabbath  ends,  restraint  is  done.  From  almost 
every  door  issue  the  crowd,  eagerly  thronging  to 
Peter’s  house.  The  sick  and  infirm,  of  every  disease, 
come  with  tottering  steps,  or  are  borne  on  litters  by 
their  friends.  Demoniacs  of  every  type,  some  quiet 
and  dumb,  and  others  in  raving  madness,  crying  out, 
at  the  sight  of  Jesus,  ‘‘Thou  art  Christ  the  Son  of 
God.”  :  friends  of  the  sick  and  possessed,  and  with 
them  the  wonder-loving  multitude  of  every  age  and 
class  assemble,  until  “  all  the  city  is  gathered  together 
at  the  door.”  It  is  a  sea  of  heads  around  the  fisher¬ 
man’s  domicil,  into  which  they  can  not  come;  and 
out  and  through  the  multitude  passes  the  “  Good 
Physician,”  laying  “his  hands  upon  every  one”  of 
the  diseased,  and  healing  them,  and  “with  his  word” 
easting  out  the  evil  spirits  of  all  the  demoniacs. 


m.]  JESUS  TRAVELS  THROUGH  GALILEE.  251 

Numbers  are  not  given,  but  they  were  ^^many.” 
Such  a  scene,  and  such  an  evening’s  work  as  that 
about  Peter’s  house,  had  never  before  been  seen  on 
earth.  Miracle  crowds  upon  miracle  till  the  aston¬ 
ished  mind  is  overcome,  and  sinks  exhausted  in  the 
contemplation. 

[Mark  1 :  35 — 39  ;  Luke  4  :  42 — 44.] 

Mere  human  agents,  after  great  achievements, 
usually  sink  exhausted  and  lie  dormant  for  a  time. 
Mere  human  workers  also  expect  to  enjoy  the  tri¬ 
umph  and  adulation  generally  accorded  by  enthusi¬ 
astic  spectators  of  their  labors;  but  neither  of  these 
experiences  follow  here.  We  learn  that  the  next  day 
after  the  above  labors,  Jesus  rises  up  ‘‘a  great  while 
before  day.”  No  respite  after  toil.  The  most  plod¬ 
ding  citizen  is  not  abroad  so  early  as  he.  And  for 
what  ?  Away  in  solitude  communing  with  God,  the 
excited  city,  though  early  astir,  can  not  find  him. 
Grateful  citizens  would  tender  him  thanks  and  honors ; 
admiring  nobleman  would  tender  him  the  freedom  of 
the  city.  But  the  man  of  wonder  is  missing.  Not 
at  Peter’s  house,  not  in  the  synagogue,  not  any  where 
can  he  be  found. 

At  last,  ‘Gn  a  desert  place,”  the  disciples  find  him 
in  secret  devotion.  The  desert  place  is  soon  thronged ; 
the  people  entreat  him  not  to  leave  their  city ;  but 
he  has  no  time  to  enjoy  their  hospitality  and  honors. 
“  I  must  preach  the  kingdom  of  God  unto  other  cities 


252 


CURES  A  LEPER. 


[PERIOD 


also,  for  therefore  am  I  sent,”  is  his  brief  reply  to 
their  entreaties.  And  immediately  he  sets  out  to  visit 
and  preach  in  all  the  cities  and  towns  of  Galilee.  He 
goes  as  an  humble  evangelist,  scattering  everywhere 
the  seeds  of  heavenly  truth,  and  healing  all  manner 
of  sicknesses,  and  all  manner  of  diseases  among  the 
people.” 


[Matt.  4 :  23—25.] 

His  miraculous  cures  were  now  the  principal  means 
of  attracting  followers.  So  rapidly  did  his  reputation 
spread,  that  he  was  followed  by  multitudes  wherever 
he  went.  Every  district  of  Palestine  and  Syria  heard 
of  him,  and,  in  the  brief  and  pregnant  words  of 
Matthew,  They  brought  unto  him  all  sick  people 
that  were  taken  with  divers  diseases  and  torments, 
and  those  which  were  possessed  with  devils,  and  those 
which  were  lunatic,  and  those  that  had  the  palsy;  and 
he  healed  them.  And  there  followed  him  great  mul¬ 
titudes  of  people  from  Galilee,  and  from  Decapolis, 
and  from  Jerusalem,  and  from  Judea,  and  from  be¬ 
yond  Jordan.” 

Never  before  had  Galilee  been  the  center  of  sucli 
attractions,  or  called  pilgrims  from  distant  provinces. 

[Matt.  8:  2—4;  Mark  1:  40—45;  Luke  5 :  12—16.] 

Of  the  particulars  of  his  labors  in  other  towns  of 
Galilee  than  Capernaum  during  this  period,  only  a 
single  instance  is  given ;  and  the  name  of  the  city 


253 


III  ]  CURES  A  LEPER. 

where  that  occurred  is  not  mentioned.  Particular 
mention  is  made  of  this  case,  the  healing  of  a  leper, 
perhaps  because  it  was  the  first  cure  of  a  disease  of 
this  kind ;  or  because  of  the  supposed  incurableness 
of  the  disease  by  any  but  miraculous  means.  No 
class  of  men  are  so  utterly  shut  out  from  the  sympa¬ 
thy  and  society  of  mankind  as  the  lepers.  Few  are 
willing  even  so  much  as  to  touch  one  of  these  wretched 
objects.  But  having  heard  of  the  benignity  and  pow¬ 
er  of  Christ,  a  distressed  leper  in  a  certain  city  came 
to  him  kneeling  down,  and  saying.  Lord,  if  thou  wilt, 
thou  canst  make  me  clean.'’  Moved  with  compassion,” 
and  approving  the  humble  faith  of  the  man,  Jesus  put 
forth  his  hand  and  touched  him,  saying,  I  will,  be 
thou  clean.” 

The  multitudes  that  thronged  the  Saviour  had 
now  begun  to  be  oppressive,  and  the  labors  exacted 
of  him  intolerable.  The  wonder  and  protestations  of 
admiration  made  were  also  no  doubt  repugnant  to 
him.  Hence  he  bids  the  leper  depart  in  silence  and 
make  the  offering  directed  by  Moses  in  case  of  a  cure 
of  this  disease,  and  obtain  a  certificate  of  the  cure  from 
the  priest. 

But  the  grateful  and  happy  leper  could  not  be  si¬ 
lent  respecting  his  deliverer,  and  the  fame  of  Jesus 
seemed  to  spread  the  more  rapidly  when  he  sought  to 
avoid  notoriety.  The  multitude  continued  to  increase 
till  he  was  obliged  to  renounce  the  city  and  seek  re- 
ti3  enient  in  the  desert.  But  even  there  they  would 

22 


HEALS  A  PARALYTIC. 


254 


[period 


search  him  out  and  gather  ‘‘  about  him  from  every 
quarter.” 


[Mark  2:  1 — 12;  Luke  5;  17 — 26;  Matt.  9:  2 — 8.] 

After  an  excursion  of  some  weeks  through  various 
parts  of  Galilee,  spent  as  above  described,  Jesus  again 
returned  to  Capernaum.  Scribes  and  Pharisees  from 
other  towns  in  Galilee,  and  even  from  Jerusalem  and 
Judea,  had  congregated  here  to  see  and  hear  him.  It 
being  reported  that  he  had  entered  a  certain  house 
where  some  of  these  dignitaries  were,  a  congregation 
soon  assembled,  and  he  as  usual  preached  to  them  the 
word. 

During  his  discourse,  four  men,  bearing  a  parlytic 
upon  a  litter,  endeavored  to  gain  admittance,  in  order 
to  secure  the  healing  of  the  invalid ;  but  the  press 
had  become  too  great ;  access  even  to  the  door  was 
impossible. 

The  men  at  length  found  their  way  to  the  roof  of 
the  building  (probably  by  passing  from  the  roofs  of 
adjacent  buildings),  removed  part  of  the  roof,  and 
swung  down  the  invalid  on  his  couch  before  the 
preacher. 

Seeing  their  faith,  he  paused  in  his  discourse,  and 
said  to  the  paralytic,  Son,  be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins 
be  forgiven  thee.” 

This  expression  implied  a  close  connection  between 
physical  suffering  and  moral  evil.  Probably  there  was 
a  conviction  in  the  mind  of  the  invalid  that  his  suf- 


III.] 


MATTHEW  C.U.LED. 


255 


fering  was  the  result  of  vice.  If  not,  the  remark  of 
Jesus  was  calculated  to  produce  such  a  conviction. 
He  saw  that  the  man’s  heart  should  first  be  healed, 
and  gave  him  the  solace  which  he  most  needed. 

But  the  captious  Scribes  and  Pharisees  found  in 
Christ’s  remark  a  pretext  for  censure  and  opposition. 

Who  is  this  speaking  blasphemies  ?”  say  they:  ‘^who 
can  forgive  sins  but  God  alone  ?” 

Perceiving  their  disalfection,  Christ  proceeds  to 
prove  to  them  that  he  has  ‘‘power  on  earth  to  forgive 
sins,  by  performing  a  physical  cure  for  the  invalid. 
They  might  deny  that  the  man’s  sins  were  forgiven ; 
but  when  the  paralytic,  in  obedience  to  Christ’s  com¬ 
mand,  takes  up  his  couch  and  walks  before  them,  de¬ 
nial  is  at  an  end.  The  astonished  multitude  disperse, 
“glorifying  God,  and  saying,  we  have  seen  strange 
things  to  day.”  The  voice  that  could  thus  restore  the 
palsied  limbs  of  a  sinner,  could  not  be  guilty  of  blas¬ 
phemy.  If  he  forgives  sins,  they  are  forgiven. 

Note  here  that  Christ  tacitly  admitted  their  asser¬ 
tion,  that  none  but  God  could  forgive  sins.  Hence 
his  assertion  of  forgiveness  was  a  virtual  assumption 
of  divinity. 


[Matt.  9;  9;  Mark  2:  13,  14;  Luke  5:  27,  28.] 

Shortly  after  the  above,  Jesus  preached  to  a  multi¬ 
tude  of  people  out  by  the  sea  shore,  near  Capernaum. 
There  he  received  into  the  circle  of  his  intimate  dis¬ 
ciples,  the  publican,  Matthew,  or  Levi,  whom  he  found 


256  MATTHEW  CALLED.  [PERIOD 

at  the  cus  tom-house j  and  who  had  probably  before  be¬ 
lieved  in  Jesus. 

In  such  labors,  preaching  the  doctrine  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  confirming  his  divine  commission 
by  numerous  indisputable  miracles,  Christ  occupied 
the  time  until  the  next  passover. 

Here  ends  the  record  of  his  present  sojourn  in 
Galilee.  He  will  be  found  next  at  Jerusalem. 


PERIOD  IV. 


FROM  THE  SECOND  PASSOVER  TO  THE 

THIRD. 


The  tribes  of  Israel  have  again  assembled  at  Jeru¬ 
salem  to  attend  the  solemn  feast.  Every  place  of  in¬ 
terest  in  the  city  is  thronged  by  pilgrims.  The  pool 
of  Bethesda  has  as  usual  its  multitude  of  invalids 
watching  for  the  moving  of  its  celebrated  waters. 
Whether  they  possessed  a  mineral  or  a  miraculous 
virtue,  we  need  not  enquire.  Suffice  it,  that  here  were 
gathered  the  infirm  and  ‘^impotent  folk.” 

[John  5  :  1—47.] 

It  might  be  anticipated  that  he  who  went  about 
doing  good  and  preaching  to  the  poor  would  be  found 
visiting  such  a  resort.  Accordingly,  we  learn  that 
during  the  feast,  Jesus  discovered  amongst  the  impo¬ 
tent  multitude,  which  filled  the  porches  around  the 
pool,  one  forlorn  and  helpless  man,  who  had  not  even 
a  friend  to  help  him  into  the  water,  at  the  propitious 

22* 


258  THE  INVALID  AT  BETHESDA.  [PERIOD 

moment.  Touched  \vith  pity,  the  friend  of  the  friend¬ 
less  kindly  addresses  the  poor  man,  listens  "to  his 
sad  story,  and  then,  in  his  inimitable  tone  replies, 
Arise,  take  up  thy  bed  and  walk.”  The  surprised 
invalid  feels  a  new  life  and  vigor  thrilling  through  his 
hitherto  helpless  limbs.  Wondering  and  delighted  he 
stands  up,  grasps  his  couch,  and  leaves  the  place  a 
strong  and  healthy  man. 

Seeing  him  thus  posting  off  with  his  couch,  the 
punctilious  Jews  hail  and  reproach  him  for  desecra¬ 
ting  the  sabbath,  by  bearing  such  a  burden.  His  re¬ 
ply  is,  that  the  man  w^ho  cured  him  bade  him,  do  it. 
But  who  that  may  be  he  can  not  tell.  The  merciful 
stranger  has  disappeared  in  the  crowd. 

Afterward,  while  in  the  temple,  to  which  he  had 
appropriately  resorted,  we  may  suppose  to  give  thanks 
for  his  cure,  Jesus  again  met  him  and  gave  him  some 
pious  advice.  Learning  who  the  stranger  is,  he  re¬ 
ports  to  the  Jews  that  it  was  Jesus  who  made  him 
whole.” 

The  leaders  of  the  Jews,  envious  and  jealous  of 
Christ's  popularity,  were  already  anxious  for  some 
pretext  on  which  to  oppose  and  persecute  him.  The 
assumption  of  divinity  which  he  had  made  when  heal¬ 
ing  the  paralytic  at  Capernaum,  suggested  the  charge 
of  blasphemy.  The  present  cure  wrought  upon  the 
sabbath  was  seized  upon  as  the  basis  of  a  new  charge, 
that  of  sabbath  breaking;  and  open  persecution  was 
at  once  proclaimed  against  the  Galilean.  In  reply  to 


IV.] 


DISCOURSE  TO  UNBELIEVERS. 


259 


their  accusation  of  sabbath  breaking,  Jesus  repudiates 
their  formalistic  view  of  the  sabbath,  telling  them, 
that  as  God  the  Father  ever  works  with  ceaseless  ac¬ 
tivity,  so  also  will  he  continue  his  work  of  healing 
mercy,  even  on  the  sabbath.  That  he  labors  in  unity 
wdth  God,  doing  nothing  of  himself,  but  as  a  Son  imi¬ 
tating  the  Father. 

This  assertion  of  his  relationship  to  God  is  taken 
as  another  expression  of  blasphemy  ;  their  hatred  is 
inflamed,  and  they  determined  upon  his  death.  But 
their  rage  serves  only  to  call  out  one  of  those  pungent 
discourses,  full  of  divine  wisdom  and  incontrovertible 
argument,  with  which  he  was  wont  to  demolish  cavil¬ 
lers.  The  purport  of  his  discourse  on  the  present  oc¬ 
casion  is,  that  he,  as  Messiah  and  Son  of  God,  does, 
and  will  do,  the  works  of  God.  They  shall  yet  see 
him  perform  greater  marvels  than  he  has  yet  achieved. 
For  the  Father  has  committed  to  him  life-giving  pow¬ 
er,  to  quicken  whom  he  will,  whether  physically  or 
spiritually.  To  him  is  also  committed  the  judgment 
of  the  world,  that  all  men  should  honor  him  as  they 
honor  the  Father.”  Through  faith  in  the  Son,  alone, 
says  he,  can  men  secure  justification,  and  everlasting 
life.  Even  the  dead  in  their  graves  shall  receive  from 
this  Messiah  their  final  judgment  and  awards,  life  or 
damnation.  Nor  is  the  evidence  of  my  Messiahship 
impeachable.  John  the  Baptist  has  borne  his  testi¬ 
mony,  and  for^a  while  you  rejoiced  in  his  shining  light. 
But  I  appeal  not  to  him  or  to  any  man.  The  works 


260  DISCOURSE  TO  UNBELIEVERS.  [PERIOD 

that  I  do  in  my  Father’s  name  are  my  credentials. 
God  has  borne  witness  for  me,  both  in  his  word  and 
in  my  miracles.  And  the  reason  that  you  do  not  re¬ 
ceive  his  testimony  is,  because  you  have  no  spiritual 
aflSnity  for  his  revelations  ;  you  judge  only  by  the  car¬ 
nal  sense  ;  you  rest  in  the  mere  letter  of  the  word  and 
wait  for  tangible  signs  such  as  God  does  not  give. 

In  short,  you  ^‘have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you,” 
you  are  selfish  and  ambitious,  and  ready  to  follow  im¬ 
postors.  Professing  to  believe  in  Moses,  you  are  not 
ready  to  receive  me  of  whom  Moses  wrote,  when  I 
come  in  the  Father’s  name  seeking  a  spiritual  king¬ 
dom,  and  disregarding  your  selfish  and  ambitious  pro¬ 
jects.  Thus  Christ  unqualifiedly  asserts  his  own 
equality  with  God,  presents  to  them  the  irrefragable 
proof  of  his  Messiahship,  and  exposes  their  selfish¬ 
ness,  blindness,  and  infidelity. 

Leaving  those  barbed  arrows  in  their  hearts,  he 
soon  after  leaves  the  city  and  region,  and  returns  to 
Galilee,  where  he  could  more  quietly  pursue  his  min¬ 
istry.  Henceforth,  how^ever,  we  shall  find  his  steps 
closely  dogged  and  every  word  and  action  scrutinized 
by  emissaries  of  the  hostile  party,  at  the  head  of 
which  are  the  Pharisees. 

[Matt.  12:  1 — 8;  Mark  2  :  23 — ^28;  Luke  6  ;  1 — 5.] 

An  incident  that  occurred  the  following  sabbath 
shows  that,  although  prudently  withdrawing  from  per¬ 
sonal  danger,  Jesus  by  no  means  repressed  truth,  or 


IV.]  GOING  THROUGH  THE  WHEAT-FIELD.  261 

changed  his  course  of  procedure,  to  avoid  giving  of¬ 
fence  and  ground  of  accusation  to  his  enemies. 

On  the  way  back  to  Galilee,  accompanied  by  his 
disciples,  they  had  occasion  on  the  sabbath  to  pass 
through  a  wheat-field.  The  disciples  were  hungry, 
and  began  to  rub  out  in  their  hands  and  eat  of  the 
wheat,  it  being  about  harvest  time. 

Some  of  the  Pharisees  in  attendance  complain  to 
Jesus  that  his  disciples  are  thus  transgressing  the  law 
of  the  sabbath.  Taking  up  this  complaint  as  directed 
virtually  against  himself,  he  shows  them  from  the  ex¬ 
ample  of  David  and  of  the  priests  in  the  temple-service, 
that  the  law  does  not  require  under  all  circumstances 
a  slavish  submission  to  the  letter ;  but  that  conside¬ 
rations  of  mercy  may  justify  a  transgression  of  the 
general  requisition.  All  labor  is  not  necessarily  for¬ 
bidden,  regardless  of  circumstances.  God  prefers  the 
exercise  of  mercy  to  any  external,  ritualistic  service. 
Moreover,  the  Son  of  Man,  out  of  regard  for  whom 
the  disciples  are  reduced  to  such  want,  is  superior  to 
the  temple  and  the  old  dispensation,  and  “  Lord  even 
of  the  sabbath,”  and  could  legalize  their  procedure. 

Such  expositions  of  the  true  spirit  of  the  law,  in¬ 
dependent  of  the  letter,  show  us  how  Christ  outstripped 
the  exegesis  of  his  age  and  penetrated  to  the  divine 
significance  of  the  word. 

[Matt.  12  :  9 — 14  ;  Mark  3  :  1 — 6 ;  Luke  6 :  6 — 11.] 

An  incident  "‘kindred  to  the  above  occurred  a  few 


2G2  THE  WITHERED  HAND  RESTORED.  [PERIOD 

sabbaths  afterward  in  a  synagogue  in  Galilee,  w^here 
Jesus  was  preaching. 

A  man  with  a  palsied  hand  was  presented  to  him, 
while  certain  Pharisees  in  the  congregation  were  zeal¬ 
ously  watching  for  another  ground  of  accusation. 

Anticipating  their  objection,  Christ  bids  the  afflic¬ 
ted  man  stand  forth  before  them,  and  turning  to  the 
congregation  enquires  as  if  for  information,  whether 
it  is  lawful  to  do  good  on  the  sabbath-day,  or  to  do 
evil  ?  to  save  life  or  to  kill  ?  ”  When  all  remain 
speechless  he  proceeds,  who  of  you  that  should  have 
a  sheep  fall  into  a  pit  upon  the  sabbath,  would  not 
“lay  hold  on  it  and  lift  it  out?”  They  are  silent 
still,  and  he  utters  the  inference  to  which  their  silence 
gave  assent,  that  “  it  is  lawful  to  do  well  on  the  sab¬ 
bath,  ”  to  exercise  acts  of  mercy  to  the  suffering. 
Then  turning  to  the  man  he  says,  “  Stretch  forth 
thine  hand !  And  he  stretched  it  forth,  and  it  was  re¬ 
stored  whole,  like  as  the  other.  ” 

This  incident  fairly  enraged  the  Pharisees,  who 
began  to  plot  henceforth  with  the  Herodians,  who 
were  also  becoming  jealous  of  him,  for  the  destruction 
of  Jesus. 

[Matt  12  :  15—21  ;  Mark  3  :  7—12.) 

Aware  of  their  designs,  the  persecuted  Savioui* 
left  again  the  thronged  city  and  retired  to  the  lake 
shore.  But  retirement  was  now  almost  impossible. 
So  great  was  his  reputation,  and  so  enthusiastic  llie 


IV.] 


BY  THE  SEA-SIDE. 


263 


mass  of  the  people  to  see  and  hear  him,  that  the  most 
solitary  place  grew  populous  as  soon  as  he  resorted  to 
it.  Reaching  the  lake  of  Gennessaret  he  is  soon  sur¬ 
rounded  by  an  immense  multitude  of  people,  gathered 
from  all  Palestine.  Some  sick,  others  lame,  others 
infected  with  the  plague  or  possessed  with  devils,  all 
press  forward  eager  but  to  touch  him,  in  order  to 
share  his  healing  virtue.  Add  to  these  multitudes  of 
the  curious  and  wonder-loving  flocking  from  all  Gali¬ 
lee,  from  Jerusalem  and  Judea,  even  from  Perea  and 
.  Idumea  on  the  south,  and  from  Tvre  and  Sidon  on 
the  north.  And  still  they  come,  though  he  strictly 
charges  those  who  are  healed  not  to  speak  of  it,  or 
make  him  known,  until  he  is  fairly  crowded  from  the 
land  and  obliged  to  seek  safety  from  the  pressure  of 
the  multitude,  as  also  from  the  machinations  of  ene¬ 
mies,  by  pushing  out  in  a  boat  upon  the  lake. 

Anchored  a  short  distance  from  the  shore,  upon 
which  the  enthusiastic  multitude  are  gathered,  the 
fishing-boat  of  a  disciple  secures  the  benignant  Son 
of  Mary,  while  he  pours  out  his  heavenly  discourse, 
and  heals  the  sufferers  who  crowd  to  the  water’s  edge 
to  receive  -his  blessing. 

In  such  peaceful  and  defenceless  guise,  as  Isaiah 
had  predicted,  the  beloved  Son  and  servant  of  God, 
.bearing  the  Father’s  Spirit,  neither  striving  nor  crying 
in  the  street,  breaking  no  bruised  reed,  quenching  no 
smoking  wick,  but  dispensing  light  and  salvation  and 
sending  forth  ‘‘judgment  unto  victory,  ”  pursued  his 


264  CHOOSING  OF  THE  TWELVE.  [PERIOD 

sacred  ministry.  Thus  sought  after  by  the  poor  and 
needy,  and  persecuted  by  the  rich  and  powerful,  he 
passed  homeless  and  destitute  from  city  to  city,  from 
town  to  desert,  from  land  to  sea,  “  preaching  the  Gos¬ 
pel  of  the  kingdom,’'  and  bearing  our  infirmities.” 

Mark  3  :  13 — 19  ;  Luke  6 :  12 — 19  ;  Matt.  10 :  2 — 4.] 

The  arduous  and  increasing  labors  of  Christ  may 
have  had  some  influence  in  prompting  him  about  this 
time  to  select  and  formally  appoint  the  twelve  Apos¬ 
tles  to  be  his  helpers,  and  to  extend  his  Gospel. 
Doubtless  the  selection  and  special  training  of  a  select 
hand  of  followers  to  succeed  him  in  his  ministry 
entered  into  Christ’s  original  plan.  And  with  refer¬ 
ence  to  this  design  he  had  probably  heretofore  taken 
peculiar  pains  to  draw  more  closely  to  himself  the 
more  susceptible  of  his  hearers,  such  as  Peter,  John, 
and  others,  who  early  became  attached  to'  him. 

But  the  time  had  now  come  to  receive  more  form¬ 
ally  a  number  of  these  persons  into  more  intimate  re¬ 
lationship,  and  to  inform  them  of  his  wishes  and  ex¬ 
pectations.  It  was  needful  for  them  to  receive  pecu¬ 
liar  instructions  and  discipline  in  order  to  he  prepared 
for  the  work  to  which  they  were  destined ;  such  in¬ 
struction  as  could  not  be  communicated  publicly  to 
large  and  mixed  assemblies.  Christ  also  desired,  as 
soon  as  they  could  be  qualified,  to  send  them  forth  to 
preach  and  work  miracles,  in  order  the  more  widely 
to  extend  his  mission  before  his  own  departure. 


IV.] 


CHOOSING  OF  THE  TWELVE. 


2G5 


And  a  number  of  persons  had  now  followed  him 
long  and  closely  enough  to  enable  him,  on  natural 
principles,  to  judge  of  their  qualifications  and  fitness 
to  become  apostles. 

The  process  of  ordination  or  appointment  took 
place  upon  a  mountain  near  Capernaum,  after  a  night 
spent  in  prayer  by  our  Lord  in  the  same  place.  Out 
of  a  large  number  of  followers  he  selected  twelve ;  a 
significant  number  amongst  the  Hebrews,  and  a  con¬ 
venient  number  for  his  purpose.  Precisely  upon  what 
grounds  the  choice  was  made  in  each  individual  case 
we  do  not  know.  There  were  some  marked  characters, 
such  as  Peter  and  John,  who  were  peculiarly  endowed 
by  nature  for  the  ofiice.  But  as  a  whole,  the  twelve 
were  in  no  respect  peculiar,  except  in  their  attach¬ 
ment  to  Jesus. 

With  Peter,  Andrew,  James,  John,  Philip,  Nathan¬ 
ael  or  Bartholomew,  and  Matthew,  we  are  already  ac¬ 
quainted  as  friends  of  Christ.  Of  Thomas,  James, 
son  of  Alpheus,  Thaddeus  or  Judas,  brother  of  James, 
Simon  of  Cana,  and  Judas  Iscariot,  we  shall  hear 
more  hereafter. 

Jesus  might  certainly  have  secured  more  learned 
and  influential  men  for  his  apostles.  He  had  friends 
and  followers  of  rank  and  high  attainments.  But  he 
seems  to  have  preferred  those  who  had  nothing  to  re¬ 
commend  them  save  their  simplicity  of  heart  and  devo¬ 
tion  to  him  as  Messiah.  Probably  such  men,  unbiased 

23 


266  .  CHOOSING  OF  THE  TWELVE.  [PERIOD 

by  any  learned  theories,  and  destitute  of  any  civil 
ambition,  were  more  fit  organs  for  the  reception  and 
promulgation  of  the  spiritual  doctrines  which  Christ 
desired  to  publish,  than  any  other  class  of  men  would 
have  been.  It  may  also  have  entered  into  the  divine 
plan  to  exercise  no  supernatural  foresight  respecting 
the  character  and  future  career  of  the  men  selected, 
but  to  take  out  of  the  common  walks  of  life  a  band 
of  men  possessing  the  common  variety  of  character 
and  talent,  out  of  which  enough  worthy  persons  would 
at  least  be  found  to  testify  to  Christ’s  character,  work 
and  doctrines,  and  constitute  the  nucleus  of  a  true 
church  of  God.  After  Christianity  had  been  intro¬ 
duced  by  such  unsuspicious  men,  guided  evidently  by 
a  divine  Spirit,  a  learned  Paul  could  be  called  and  in¬ 
spired  to  expound  the  sublime  doctrines  of  the  system. 
Such,  indeed,  appears  to  have  been  the  Saviour’s 
plan. 

The  choice  of  the  twelve  took  place  early  in  the 
morning,  when  only  the  more  intimate  of  Christ’s 
friends  were  with  him.  But  as  the  day  advanced,  a 
multitude,  as  usual,  began  to  collect  about  him.  Upon 
descending  to  the  plain  after  the  above  transaction, 
the  crowd  increased ;  friends  and  enemies,  acquain¬ 
tances  and  strangers,  from  every  direction,  the  healthy, 
the  sick,  and  the  demoniacal,  all  pressed  toward  the 
man  of  wonder,  desiring  to  touch  him ;  for  there 
went  virtue  out  of  him,  and  healed  them  all.” 


IV.]  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.  267 

[Matt.  5  :  1 — 48  ;  Matt.  6  :  1 — 8  ;  Matt.  6  :  15 — 34  ;  Matt.  7 : 

1 — 29  ;  Matt.  8:1;  Luke  6  :  20—49.] 

Having  healed  the  infirm  among  them,  Christ  again 
took  a  more  elevated  position  upon  the  hill  side,  and 
delivered  to  the  assembled  multitude  his  longest  re¬ 
corded  discourse,  called  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 

The  objects  of  this  discourse  were  to  unfold  the 
true  idea  of  the  Messiah’s  kingdom,  in  contrast  with 

the  false  conceptions  of  the  Jews ;  to  refute  the  accu- 

% 

sation  made  against  Christ,  that  he  was  opposed  to 
the  old  dispensation  ;  and  to  impress  upon  the  disci¬ 
ples  the  kind  of  life  and  spirit  which  they  would  be 
required  to  exhibit,  the  principles  upon  which  they 
should  act,  and  the  difficulties  they  should  encounter. 

As  the  apostles  had  just  been  appointed,  and  false 
representations  of  Christ’s  principles  combined  with 
fierce  persecution  had  first  arisen  amongst  the  Phari¬ 
sees,  a  discourse  of  this  kind  was  specially  pertinent 
at  that  time. 

Matthew  and  Luke  report  the  discourse  with  imma¬ 
terial  variations ;  Luke  omitting  some  passages,  and 
Matthew  incorporating  into  it  some  kindred  senti¬ 
ments  that  were  uttered  by  the  Saviour  upon  other 
occasions. 

A  brief  outline  of  the  argument  and  divisions  of 
this  most  clear  and  practical  exposition  of  the  princi¬ 
ples  of  Christianity  is  all  that  can  be  here  pre¬ 
sented. 

The  beatitudes  with  which  the  discourse  opens  set 


268  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT.  [PERIOD 

forth  the  moral  requisitions  for  acceptance  with  God, 
the  blessings  secured  by  the  graces  of  character  pro¬ 
posed,  and  the  relations  of  the  people  of  God  to  the 
world. 

The  humble,  meek,  peaceful,  merciful,  and  upright, 
who  yearn  for  righteousness,  and  who  are  subject  to 
the  contempt  and  persecution  of  the  world,  are  the 
true  heirs  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 

They  are  also  in  reality  the  light  and  salt  of 
earth,  the  true  guardians  and  conservators  of  human 
society.  Their  office  is  to  shine  into  and  irradiate  a 
darkened  world. 

This  they  should  do  by  the  exhibition  of  a  life 
strictly  conformed  to  the  spirit  of  the  divine  law. 
Hence  it  was  not  true  that  Christ  opposed  the  law,  as 
the  Pharisees  declared.  His  object  was  rather  to  ful¬ 
fil  the  old  dispensation ;  he  came  to  free  it  from 
dead  formalism  and  to  introduce  that  spirit  of  life 
which  alone  fulfils  the  law ;  and  he  enjoins  upon  his 
followers  a  far  higher  obedience  than  was  practised 
by  the  strictest  formalist.  He  presents  the  law  not 
in  its  cramped  political  form,  but  as  the  eternal  stand¬ 
ard  of  the  inner  moral  life. 

For  example,  the  law  in  its  civil  form  forbids  the 
overt  acts  of  murder,  adultery,  and  perjury,  but  as  the 
rule  of  Christian  life,  it  takes  cognizance  of  the  heart 
and  condemns  the  disposition  that  would,  if  cherished, 
lead  to  such  exhibitions.  The  theocratic  law  tolera¬ 
ted  divorce  :  Christ  unfolds  the  indissolubility  of  the 


IV.] 


SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT. 


269 


marriage  covenant.  The  Mosaic  law  enjoined  the 
love  of  one’s  neighbor,  but  admitted  such  an  interpre¬ 
tation  as  tolerated  hatred  of  foreigners  and  revenge 
upon  enemies.  Christ  bids  us  love  our  enemies,  and 
suffer  wrong  rather  than  retaliate.  He  bids  us  pray 
for  persecutors,  and  return  blessings  for  curses.  Like 
our  father,  God,  we  should  be  guided  by  the  law  of 
love. 

This  exposition  of  the  true  spirit  of  obedience  is 
followed  by  a  contrast  between  true  religion  and  the 
hypocritical,  false  piety  of  the  Pharisees.  They  give 
alms,  pray,  and  fast  with  a  vain  and  selfish  ostenta¬ 
tion.  True  religion  demands  that  these  duties  be 
performed  in  humility,  simplicity  of  heart,  and  se¬ 
crecy.  They  are  severe  in  their  judgment  of  others, 
but  indulgent  to  self.  A  really  pious  man  judges 
charitably  of  others  and  rigidly  of  himself.  Hence  the 
golden  rule,  ‘‘Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do 
unto  you,  do  ye  also  unto  them.”  Judge  of  others 
and  act  toward  them  as  you  would  desire  to  have  them 
do  toward  you,  if  placed  in  their  circumstances. 

Next  follow  various  injunctions  for  guarding, 
testing,  and  regulating  the  spiritual  life. 

Care  must  be  taken  to  enter  at  the  strait  gate. 
The  way  to  heaven  is  not  broad  and  frequented  by 
the  multidude ;  deceivers  and  false  guides  must  be 
shunned.  Principle  and  the  daily  life,  not  mere  pro¬ 
fession,  furnish  the  only  sure  test  of  piety. 

The  heart  and  affections  must  be  devoted  to  God, 

23* 


270 


SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT. 


[PERIOD 


and  the  soul’s  treasure  be  above.  Singleness  of  aim 
and  entire  devotion  should  mark  the  Christian.  God 
and  Mammon  can  not  be  served  at  the  same  time. 

An  humble  and  filial  trust  in  Providence  should 
lead  us  to  discard  all  anxiety  about  the  enjoyments  of 
life,  to  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  for  earthly 
comforts  trust  Him  who  feeds  the  birds  of  the  air 
and  decks  the  lilies  of  the  field.  Unto  that  heavenly 
Father  he  bids  us  approach  with  child-like  confidence. 
Sooner  will  an  earthly  parent  give  stones  and  serpents 
to  the  child  that  cries  for  bread,  than  God  withhold 
any  real  good  from  them  who  knock  at  his  door  and 
ask  his  favors.  Yet  remember  that  a  spirit  of  obe¬ 
dience  must  accompany  your  petitions. 

In  conclusion,  Christ  draws  a  contrast  between  the 
final  destinies  of  those  who  listen  to  and  practice 
these  his  precepts,  and  those  who  treat  them  with 
neglect.  The  one  class  builds  upon  the  immovable 
rock,  the  other  upon  the  shifting  sands  which  shall  be 
washed  away  by  the  overwhelming  floods. 

Thus  ends  this  masterly  exhibition  of  the  spirit  of 
Christianity,  in  contrast  with  Jewish  legalism ,  and 
as  the  complete  development  of  the  principles  of  the 
Old  Testament.  To  the  attentive  multitude  it  w^as  a 
new  and  sublime  revelation,  much  unlike  the  discour¬ 
ses  of  the  scribes. 

After  the  discourse,  Jesus  descended  from  the  hill 
and  advanced  towards  Capernaum,  attended  by  the 
delighted  multitudes  who  had  listened  to  his  sermon. 


IV.]  THE  CENTURION^S  SERVANT  HEALED.  271 

[Matt.  8;  5—13;  Luke  7:  1—10.] 

As  they  entered  the  city  they  were  met  by  a  del¬ 
egation  of  the  elders  of  the  Jews,  who  entreated  him 
to  go  to  the  house  of  a  centurion  and  heal  a  servant 
who  was  dangerously  ill,  and  for  whom  the  centurion 
had  a  peculiar  affection. 

This  centurion,  though  a  foreigner,  had  endeared 
the  people  of  the  town  by  his  kind  demeanor  and  his 
contributions  for  the  support  of  their  religion.  Hesi¬ 
tating  to  go  himself  to  Christ,  on  account  of  his  alien- 
ship  and  pagan  connection,  he  sought  the  mediation  of 
Jews  of  influence  to  secure  a  visit  from  the  great 
Healer.  He  seems  to  have  had  no  doubt  of  Christ's 
power,  but  felt  a  peculiar  diffidence  and  unworthiness 
to  be  honored  by  such  a  visit. 

When,  therefore,  it  was  announced  to  him  that 
Jesus  was  coming  to  his  house,  he  became  agitated 
and  afraid  that  he  had  asked  too  much.  Going  hastily 
out  to  meet  him,  he  declared  his  consciousness  of  his 
unworthiness  to  receive  Christ  under  his  roof,  and 
asked  that  the  Saviour  would  but  “speak  the  word" 
only,  and  his  servant  would  be  healed.  Christ  had 
shown  that  Spirits  were  subject  to  him.  The  centu¬ 
rion  regarded  this  as  proof  of  his  divinity,  and  hence 
suggested  that  Christ  should  by  the  agency  of  some 
ministering  spirit  perform  the  cure.  I  have  servants 
who  do  my  bidding ;  let  some  servant  of  yours  perform 
this  work  for  me.  I  am  not  worthy  to  be  served  by 
you  in  person. 


272  THE  widow's  son  restored  to  life,  [period 

Christ,  discerning  a  true  humility  and  sincerity  in 
the  man,  and  impressed  by  such  an  exhibition  of  faith 
in  a  foreigner,  turned  to  his  followers  and  assured 
them  that  he  had  not  found  such  an  instance  amongst 
all  the  Israelites.  Looking  upon  this  as  significant 
of  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews  and  the  readiness  of  many 
pagans  to  receive  the  gospel,  he  proceeds  with  a  pro¬ 
phetic  intimation  that  aliens  from  every  clime  would 
be  introduced  into  the  divine  kingdom;  while  the 
Hebrews,  in  their  self-sufficiency,  should  be  cast  out. 

Then  turning  to  the  centurion  he  says,  “  Go  thy 
way  ;  and  as  thou  hast  believed,  so  be  it  done  unto 
thee.  And  his  servant  was  healed  in  the  self-same 
hour.'’ 

This  was  the  second  miracle  performed  in  Caper¬ 
naum  upon  persons  at  a  distance  who  were  the  de¬ 
pendents  of  foreigners,  and  under  circumstances  ut¬ 
terly  precluding  the  use  of  any  natural  agencies. 

[Luke  7  :  11—17.] 

The  next  dav  after  the  above  events  Jesus  set  out 
upon  another  excursion  into  other  parts  of  Galilee. 
We  hear  of  him  at  Nain,  a  town  near  Mt.  Tabor, 
about  twenty  miles  south-west  from  Capernaum.  As 
usual  at  this  period  of  his  ministry,  a  large  company 
attends  him. 

Approaching  the  town,  they  are  met  by  a  large 
funeral  procession.  A  weeping  widow  follows  to  the 
grave  her  only  son.  Touched  by  her  grief,  the 


IV.]  JOHN  baptist's  MESSAGE  FROM  PRISON.  273 

Saviour  says  to  her,  Weep  not.”  Then  he  stops  the 
bearers,  and  touching  the  bier  cries  out,  Young  man, 
arise !  ”  To  the  amazement  of  the  spectators,  the 
corpse  starts  up,  begins  to  speak,  and  the  young  man, 
restored  to  life  and  health,  is  presented  to  his  mother. 
The  wondering  people  ‘^glorify  God,  saying,  that  a 
great  prophet  is  risen  up  amongst  us.”  That  a  stranger 
should  thus,  from  regard  to  a  bereaved  mourner,  sud¬ 
denly  stop  a  funeral  procession,  and,  unsolicited,  and 
with  no  material  appliances,  yet  with  unwavering 
confidence,  command  the  dead  to  arise,  and  be  in 
stantly  obeyed,  was  to  them  sufficient  proof  that 
God  had  visited  his  people.” 


[Matt.  11 :  2 — 19  ;  Luke  7  :  18 — 35.] 

While  Jesus  was  thus  humbly  traversing  the  obscure 
regions  of  Galilee,  and  preaching  his  gospel  to  the 
poor  and  uninfluential,  laying  the  foundation  for  a 
spiritual  church,  but  making  no  public  or  political 
demonstrations,  there  was  one  earnest  mind  waiting 
and  longing  to  hear  of  him  at  the  head  of  the  theoc¬ 
racy,  clothed  in  regal  dignity. 

John  the  Baptist,  who  had  been  permitted  to  in¬ 
troduce  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  shared  the  common  Jew¬ 
ish  expectation  that  Christ  would  assume  temporal  au¬ 
thority.  Aware  that  his  own  public  career  was  run, 
and  believing  that  the  greater  prophet  whom  he  pro¬ 
claimed  had  entered  the  field,  he  anticipated  a  speedy 
change  in  the  aspect  of  the  theocratic  government. 


274  JOHN  baptist's  message  from  prison,  [period 

Pent  up  in  the  rocky  fortress  of  Machaerus,  he 
enquired  eagerly  of  his  disciples,  who  were  allowed 
to  visit  him,  respecting  the  progress  of  these  great 
events.  But  as  Jesus  confined  himself  mostly  to  the 
obscurer  parts  of  Palestine,  remote  from  the  place  of 
John’s  confinement,  and  made  no  civil  movement, 
assumed  no  political  supremacy ;  as,  moreover,  the  re¬ 
ports  which  reached  the  prisoner  were  few  and  indefi¬ 
nite,  in  no  degree  answering  his  anticipations  of  the 
Messiah’s  procedure ;  a  morbid  discouragement  and 
doubt  at  length  came  over  the  pining  prophet. 

He  did  not  indeed  doubt  the  divine  commission  of 
Jesus ;  that  was  settled  at  the  baptism.  But  the 
question  rose  in  his  mind,  whether  or  no  this  Beloved 
Son”  were  indeed  the  Messiah  who  was  foretold  by 
the  prophets,  and  for  whom  he  was  sent  to  prepare  the 
way.  Might  not  Jesus  possibly  be  another  herald, 
like  himself,  of  a  still  greater  to  come  ? 

So  great  was  his  confidence  in  the  integrity  of 
Jesus,  that  he  only  desired  an  expression  from  him,  to 
allay  his  doubts.  Hence  he  sent  some  of  his  disci¬ 
ples  upon  a  journey  into  Galilee,  to  seek  out  Jesus 
and  ask  him,  in  the  Baptist’s  name,  w^hether  or  no  he 
is  the  one  that  should  come  ?  ”  or  whe^ther  they  were 
to  look  for  another  ?  ” 

Arrived  in  Galilee,  the  messengers  from  John  find 
Jesus  in  the  midst  of  one  of  those  exciting  scenes, 
with  a  multitude  about  him,  performing  a  great  num¬ 
ber  of  astonishing  miracles.  Joining  the  crowd  that 


IV.]  Christ's  estimation  of  John.  275 

surrounds  him,  they  see  the  blind  and  infirm  of  vari¬ 
ous  diseases,  some  who  are  smitten  with  plague,  and 
others  possessed  by  evil  spirits,  promiscuously  ap¬ 
proaching  their  master’s  friend,  and  all  receiving  in¬ 
stant  relief.  Upon  enquiry,  they  learn  that  such 
scenes  have  become  frequent,  that  even  the  dead  are 
raised  to  life. 

When,  therefore,  they  ask  Jesus  the  question  of 
John  respecting  his  Messiahship,  he  simply  bids  them 
go  and  tell  John  what  they  see  and  hear  respecting  him. 

Tell  John  that  ‘Hhe  blind  receive  their  sight,  the 
lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  the  deaf  hear,  the 
dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the  gospel 
preached  to  them.  And  blessed  is  he  whosoever  shall 
not  be  oflfended  in  me.” 

These  deeds  of  kindness,  and  miracles  of  power, 
exercised  not  for  self  aggrandizement,  but  for  the  good 
of  the  lowly  and  suffering,  and,  not  least,  the  preach¬ 
ing  of  the  gospel  to  the  poor  and  despised,  were  the 
true  testimonials  of  Messiahship ;  yet,  as  Christ 
knew,  they  were  testimonials  w^hich  ill  suited  the  proud 
and  carnal  expectations  of  the  Jews.  They  antici¬ 
pated  quite  other  displays  when  Messiah  should  ap¬ 
pear.  Hence  he  says,  ^‘blessed  are  they  who  shall 
not  be  offended  in  me.”  Blessed  are  they  who  can 
recognize  and  receive  Messiah  in  this  lowly  guise  and 
mission. 

When  the  disciples  of  John  departed,  Jesus  ad¬ 
dressed  his  disciples  and  others  present,  respecting 


276  Christ’s  estimation  of  John.  [period 

John  and  his  true  position  in  the  theocracy.  The 
preacher  whom  you  went  into  the  wilderness  to  hear 
was  no  quivering  reed,  and  no  soft  favorite  of  royalty. 
He  was  a  prophet,  and  more  than  a  prophet.  As  the 
promised  Elias  and  herald  of  Messiah,  he  stood  above 
the  whole  prophetic  order,  the  last  and  greatest. 

Still,  though  John  stands  highest  of  all  under  the 
old  dispensation,  “  the  least  in  the  kingdon  of  “heaven 
^a  babe  in  Christ,  in  the  new  dispensation)  is  greater 
than  he.’' 

John  had  more  correct  views  of  the  divine  plan 
and  kingdom  than  had  any  of  his  predecessors.  Yet 
he  looked  for  a  miraculous  temporal  triumph  of  Mes¬ 
siah  over  the  enemies  of  the  visible  theocracy ;  and 
not  for  a  spiritual  kingdom  founded  through  the  self- 
denying  toil  and  vicarious  sufferings  of  the  Redeemer. 
Hence  he  was  below  the  feeblest  Christian  who  un¬ 
derstands  the  spirituality  of  the  Messiah’s  mission. 

The  speaker  next  glances  at  the  attitude  of  the 
nation  toward  John  and  himself. 

A  new  longing  and  ardent  zeal  for  the  new  king¬ 
dom  has  arisen  since  the  beginning  of  John’s  minis¬ 
try  ;  but  it  is  mostly  a  temporary  excitement.  To 
what  shall  I  liken  this  fickle  generation?”  They 
are  satisfied  neither  with  John  nor  Jesus;  they  were 
displeased  with  the  rigid  asceticism  of  the  preacher 
of  repentance ;  they  could  not  endure  so  strict  a  le¬ 
galist.  When  the  Son  of  Man  comes  leading  a  differ¬ 
ent  life,  mingling  in  the  social  enjoyments  of  man- 


IV.]  THE  MEEK  RECOGNIZE  CHRIST,  277 

kind,  associating  with  the  common  people,  and  enter¬ 
ing  into  sympathy  with  all  the  every-day  pursuits  and 
interests  of  the  rac^,  they  cry  out  against  him  on  the 
other  hand,  as  being  lawless  and  loose,  a  friend  of 
publicans  and  sinners.”  Like  peevish  children,  they 
will  tolerate  neither  sadness  nor  mirth. 

“  But  wisdom  is  justified  of  her  children.”  Those 
who  seek  and  love  divine  wisdom,  and  cherish  no  sel¬ 
fish  bigotry  and  prejudice,  can  recognize  the  common 
truth  held  forth  by  both  John  and  Jesus. 

They  are  not,  however,  the  worldly  wise,  not  the 
learned  scribe  or  pharisee,  but  those  who  in  simple 
faith  and  with  child-like  confidence,  listen  to  the  di¬ 
vine  teacher.  Hence  Christ,  looking  upon  his  hum¬ 
ble  disciples,  in  contrast  with  the  unbelieving  and 
proud  rulers  of  the  Jews,  exclaims,  I  thank  thee,  0 
Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  thou  hast 
hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast 
revealed  them  unto  babes.  Even  so.  Father,  for  so  it 
seemed  good  in  thy  sight.”  Enough  that  this  is  the 
holy  Father’s  plan.  ‘‘All  things  are  delivered  unto 
me  of  my  Father.”  No  man  can  recognize  the  Son, 
and  receive  Jesus  as  the  great  Messiah,  save  those 
who  are  given  to  Christ  by  the  Father.  Nor  can  any 
one  fully  and  completely  know  the  Son  save  God ; 
and  no  one  can  know  God  save  the  Son,  and  those 
who  receive  a  revelation  of  the  Father  through  Christ 
the  Son  ;  so  intimate  according  to  Christ  is  the  union 
between  himself  and  God  the  Father. 

24 


278 


THE  MEEPL  RECOGNIZE  CHRIST.  [PERIOD 


Turning  with  inexpressible  tenderness  to  the  hum¬ 
ble  Galileans  before  him,  and  regarding  them  as  a  fit 
type  of  the  self-renouncing  sin-oppressed  ^‘babes’’ 
who  were  to  become  participants  of  his  kingdom,  he 
exclaims,  in  concluding  his  discourse,  Come  unto  me 
all  ye  that  labor,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you  and  learn  of  me ; 
for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  and  ye  shall  find 
rest  unto  your  souls.  For  my  yoke  is  easy  and  my 
burden  is  light.’' 

Eloquent  peroration,  and  most  rich  in  divine  con¬ 
solations  !  Here  the  revealing  Son  of  God  calls  upon 
a  heavy-laden  world  to  roll  ofi*  its  burden  and  come  to 
him  for  rest.  He  calls  to  no  new  legal  bonds  or  heavy 
ritual ;  he  imposes  no  hard  injunctions  ;  he  will  not 
oppress  the  poor  and  weak.  Anointed  Son  of  God 
though  he  is,  about  to  establish  a  new  kingdom,  he  is 
‘^meek  and  lowly,”  the  friend  of  ‘‘  publicans  and  sin¬ 
ners.”  ^‘His  yoke  is  easy,  his  burden  light,”  they 
shall  find  soul-rest  in  bearing  it. 


[Luke  7 :  36—50.] 

An  apt  illustration  follows  of  the  adaptation  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ  to  the  humble  and  “  heavy-la¬ 
den  ;  ”  and  of  the  inability  of  the  self-righteous  to 
appreciate  it. 

A  somewhat  stupid  Pharisee  invited  Jesus  to  dine 
wuth  him,  but  gave  him  such  a  cold  and  shabby  recep¬ 
tion  as  indicated  no  appreciation  of  Jesus;  and  also 
merited  a  severe  rebuke. 


■  »  '  •  ,  .  *  I  .  w  J  ' 


I 


IV.]  A  I'ENITENT  WOMAN  ANOINTS  CHRIST’S  FEET.  279 

While  they  were  reclining  at  table,  a  poor,  sinful, 
but  now  humbled  woman  of  the  place,  who  had  prob¬ 
ably  been  deeply  impressed  by  the  above  discourse, 
and  the  invitation  given  to  heavy-laden  souls  to  come 
and  find  rest,  came  into  the  room  with  a  box  of  costly 
perfume,  silently  approached  the  feet  of  the  Sa¬ 
viour,  and  penitently  proceeded  in  the  attitude  of  a 
servant  to  bathe  his  feet  with  tears,  wipe  them  with 
her  hair,  and  perfume  them  with  her  spikenard. 

The  Pharisee,  with  chuckling  complacency,  watched 
this  procedure,  saying  to  himself,  ‘‘  This  man,  if  he 
were  a  phrophet,  would  have  known  who  and  what 
manner  of  woman  this  is  that^  toucheth  him  ;  for  she 
is  a  sinner.’’ 

Pretending  at  first  not  to  notice  the  Pharisee’s 
thoughts,  Jesus  skilfully  drew  from  him  an  assent  to 
the  proposition  that  the  deepest  gratitude  is  naturally 
exercised  by  those  who  receive  the  greatest  favor ; 
then  turning  upon  him  for  the  application,  and  bid¬ 
ding  him  mark  the  conduct  of  the  woman  in  contrast 
with  his  own,  showed  him  that  the  deepest  love  is  to 
be  expected  from  such  sinners  as  she,  after  they  have 
been  forgiven ;  that,  on  the  other  hand,  little  is  to  be 
anticipated  from  those  who  have  no  deep  sense  of 
their  own  sinfulness  and  need  of  pardon. 

Were  we  writing  the  life  of  a  mere  man  we  might 
allude  to  what  we  should  then  call  the  shrewdness  by 
which  the  Pharisee  is  caught.  Simon,”  says  Jesus, 
‘‘I  have  somewhat  to  say  unto  thee.”  ‘‘Master,  say 


280  ANOINTING  THE  FEET  OF  JESUS.  [PERIOD 

on,”  responds  the  heavy  host.”  ‘‘A  certain  creditor 
had  two  debtors^”  continues  the  guest,  “  the  one  owed 
five  hundred  pence,  and  the  other  fifty.  And  when  they 
had  nothing  to  pay,  he  frankly  forgave  them  both. 
Tell  me,  therefore,  which  of  them  will  love  him  most?  ” 
‘‘I  suppose  that  one  to  whom  he  forgave  most,”  again 
answers  the  Pharisee.  ‘‘Rightly  judged,  Simon: 
seest  thou  now  this  woman?” 

“  Wherefore,  I  say  unto  thee,  her  sins  which  are 
many,  are  forgiven ;  for  she  loved  much.”  To  the 
woman  he  says,  “  thy  faith  hath  saved  thee ;  go  in 
peace.”  The  love  secures  forgiveness ;  and  the  for¬ 
giveness  deepens  the  Jove.  Repentance,  faith,  and 
grace,  reciprocally  augment  each  other. 

This  assertion  of  forgiveness  was,  however,  capi¬ 
tal  for  the  Pharisee  and  others  of  his  stamp  who  heard 
it ;  they  saw  in  it  grounds  for  a  new  accusation.  “  Who 
is  this  that  forgiveth  sins  also  ?  ” 

[Luke  8:  1—3.] 

It  may  be  mentioned  here,  that  among  the  constant 
a'ttendants  of  Jesus  at  this  time,  were  several  women 
who  had  received  miraculous  cures,  such  as  Mary 
Magdalene,  Joanna,  the  wife  of  Herod’s  steward, 
Susannah,  and  others. 

These  persons  had  come  to  the  Saviour  with  a  true 
faith,  and  received  both  temporal  and  spiritual  mercies. 
Filled  Avith  gratitude,  they  devoted  themselves  and 
their  property  to  him. 


IV.]  DUMB  AND  BLIND  DEMONIAC  HEALED.  281 

The  phrase  informing  us  that  they  ministered 
unto  him  of  their  substance  ”is  significant,  as  showing 
us  in  part  how  the  necessary  expenses  of  our  Lord 
were  defrayed.  His  simple  mode  of  life,  connected 
with  the  hospitality  of  the  people  amongst  whom  he 
itinerated,  demanded  but  little  money ;  yet  something 
was  needed  in  order  that  he  might  devote  himself 
wholly  to  his  ministry.  What  was  needed  was  con¬ 
tributed,  and  no  doubt  cheerfully,  by  his  followers. 

The  laborer  is  worthy  of,’’  at  least  his  support. 
The  Saviour  himself  “lived  by  the  gospel”  which  he 
preached. 

Strict  watch  was  now  kept  of  every  movement  of 
Jesus  by  the  jealous  Pharisees.  Emissaries  of  this 
sect  from  Jerusalem  dogged  his  steps  through  all  the 
towns  of  Galilee,  seeking  grounds  of  accusation  and 
persecution. 

t 

But  the  evidence  of  his  miraculous  transactions 
was  indisputable,  and  the  only  remaining  hope  was  to 
account  for  his  supernatural  agency  in  some  way  that 
need  not  imply  the  possession  of  divine  favor.  Of 
course  this  could  only  be  done  by  attributing  his  mira¬ 
cles  to  the  agency  of  an  evil  spirit. 

[Matt.  12:  23—37;  Mark  3:  22—30;  Luke  11:  14—23.] 

The  occasion  for  their  first  promulgation  of  this 
calumny  was  the  healing  of  a  malignant  case  of  de¬ 
moniacal  possession,  in  which  the  subject  w'as  both 
dumb  and  blind. 

24  * 


i 


282  DEMONIAC  HEALED.  [PERIOD 

So  remarkable  a  cure  greatly  excited  the  admira¬ 
tion  of  the  Galileans,  and  in  proportion  to  this,  the 
indignation  of  the  Pharisees.  Hence  they  report  that, 
This  fellow  doth  not  cast  out  devils  but  by  Beelze¬ 
bub,  the  prince  of  the  devils/'  It  is  a  wicked  witch¬ 
craft  by  which  he  heals.  ' 

Perceiving  their  device,  Jesus  by  a  few  brief  illus¬ 
trations  exhibits  the  absurdity  of  this  charge.  That 
to  heal  such  demoniacs  was  a  good  work,  and  destruc¬ 
tive  of  evil,  none  could  deny ;  and  hence  the  spirit  of 
evil  could  not  be  its  mover.  Satan  would  not  expel 
himself  or  his  own  minions  from  a  victim  ;  should  he  do 
so,  his  dominion  would  cease.  The  thorough  cure  of 
this  demoniac  proves  that  a  spirit  of  good,  the  spiidt 
of  God,  has  appeared  in  your  midst ;  the  prince  of 
evil  is  driven  from  his  citadel ;  a  stronger  than  he  has 
bound  him. 

Even  the  practice  of  your  own  exorcists  refutes 
your  charge.  They  claim  to  cast  out  devils,  and  you 
and  they  admit  that  if  they  cast  them  out  it  must  be 
by  the  power  of  God. 

This  monstrous  perversion  of  reason  and  exhibi¬ 
tion  of  malice  deeply  grieved  our  Lord.  He  could 
easily  endure  insults  olfered  to  his  humanity ;  but  he 
could  not  endure  that  the  divine  spirit  by  which  he 
worked  for  the  world’s  redemption  should  be  maligned 
and  called  a  devil.  Hence,  having  refuted  the  cal¬ 
umny  of  the  Pharisees,  he  turns  upon  them  and  presses 
home  the  wickedness  of  their  unbelief  and  malice. 
His  argument  runs  Ihus. 


IV.]  BLASPHEMY  OF  THE  PHARISEES.  283 

The  expulsion  of  this  demon  proves  to  every  can¬ 
did  mind  the  presence  in  me  of  the  Spirit  and  pow¬ 
er  of  God.  This  very  act  is  a  triumph  in  behalf  of 
God’s  kingdom  over  the  po^Yer  of  evil.  By  opposing 
me  you  prove  yourselves  adverse  to  God’s  kingdom ; 
your  unbelief  is  of  the  heart,  and  against  your  hon¬ 
est  convictions.  Whosoever  is  not  with  me  is  against 
me.”  And  opposing  me,  you  oppose  the  Spirit  of  God, 
by  which  I  work ;  this  is  the  sin  of  deepest  dye.  All 
manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy  against  the  Son  of 
Man,”  Christ  as  man,  may  be  forgiven,  but  blas¬ 
phemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost,”  such  an  accusation 
against  the  power  by  v/hich  I  work  as  you  have  made, 
hath  never  forgiveness,  neither  in  this  world,  neither 
in  the  world  to  come.”  Such  a  blasphemer  ‘^isin 
danger  of  eternal  damnation.” 

And  such  blasphemies  grow"  naturally  out  of  your 
corrupt  hearts  that  will  not  see  the  truth.  The  tree 
must  be  changed  before  the  fruit  can  be.  0  gene¬ 
ration  of  vipers,”  he  exclaims,  rising  to  awful  stern¬ 
ness  and  fiery  rebuke,  0  generation  of  vipers,  how 
can  ye,  being  evil,  speak  good?”  Out  of  a  full  heart 
gush  the  kindred  words ;  and  yet  for  each  idle  word 
shall  you  give  account  at  the  judgment.  By  your 
words,  as  the  index  of  your  hearts,  shall  you  be  jus¬ 
tified  or  condemned. 


[Matt.  12 :  38—45  ;  Luke  11 :  IG  ;  24—36.] 

Some  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  less  hostile  to 


284  THE  SIGN.  [PERIOD 

Christ  than  those  spoken  of  above,  expressed  to  him 
their  wish  to  see  some  more  convincing  sign  of  his 
Messiahship,  something  like  the  voice  of  God  on  Si¬ 
nai,  that  should  be  startling  and  overwhelming,  and 
have  no  other  aim  than  to  confirm  his  claims.  Ex¬ 
pectations  of  such  ‘‘signs”  were  probably  general 
amongst  the  Jews.  But  Christ  gratified  no  such  ex¬ 
pectation  ;  he  would  exercise  his  divine  power  only 
in  deeds  of  charity  and  love.  Hence  he  sternly  re¬ 
bukes  their  carnal  desire. 

As  it  was  with  Jonah  and  the  Ninevites,  so  shall  it 
be  with  this  generation.  No  other  sign  shall  be  given 
them  than  the  voice  of  him  w^ho  preaches  repentance. 
The  whole  life  and  labor  of  the  Son  of  Man  is  a  most 
convincing  sign.  The  Ninevites  shall  condemn  this 
generation,  for  they  repented  at  Jonah’s  preaching  ; 
but  a  greater  than  Jonah  is  here.  The  Queen  of 
the  south  shall  condemn  this  age ;  for  she  came  to 
hear  Solomon,  but  a  greater  than  Solomon  is  here. 

The  Son  of  Man  is  a  light,  not  hidden,  but  con¬ 
spicuously  placed,  and  brightly  shining  into  this 
darkened  age.  If  any  fail  to  see  him,  it  is  because 
their  perception  is  deficient.  See  to  it,  therefore,  that 
your  inner  light,  that  by  which  alone  the  divine  mani¬ 
festation  can  be  perceived,  be  not  darkness.  If  there 
be  no  seeing  eye  within,  all  shall  be  dark,  whatever 
be  the  sign  exhibited  ;  but  if  the  inner  vision  be  clear, 
all  shall  be  full  of  light. 

This  is  the  diflBculty  with  this  degenerate  age.  It 


IV.]  ATTEMPT  TO  CONFINE  JESUS.  285 

is  an  age  of  blindness,  stupidity,  and  demonism. 
Some  little  interest  has  been  awakened  by  the  preach¬ 
ing  of  John  and  Jesus.  But  the  multitude  have  re¬ 
ceived  no  thorough  illumination,  and  are  ready,  like 
a  half  cured  demoniac,  operated  upon  by  false  exor¬ 
cists,  to  return  to  their  old  ways,  seven-fold  worse  than 
before. 

Yet  there  were  some  susceptible  souls  who  needed 
no  other  sign  of  Christ’s  divinity.  Even  while  Christ 
was  exposing  the  Pharisees  and  denouncing  the  evil 
generation,”  a  woman  in  the  crowd  was  so  deeply  im¬ 
pressed,  that  she  cried  out  aloud,  “  Blessed  is  the  womb 
that  bare  thee,  and  the  paps  which  thou  hast 
sucked  !  ”  Rejecting,  however,  her  crude  veneration, 
he  replied,  ‘^Blessed  rather  are  they  that  hear  the 
word  of  God  and  keep  it.”  Spiritual  affinities  are 
more  valuable  than  natural  relationships. 

[Matt.  12:  46—60;  Mark  3 :  31—35;  Luke  8 :  19—21.] 

To  the  same  purport  is  Christ’s  remark  respecting 
his  mother  and  brethren  when  they  came  to  confine 
him  as  a  lunatic. 

Christ’s  peculiar  mode  of  life  and  style  of  preach¬ 
ing  attended  by  such  unheard-of  works,  and  the 
amazing  excitement  produced  amongst  the  common 
people,  might  have  led  many  a  stupid  Pharisee  to  re¬ 
gard  him  as  a  mad-man. 

But  it  was  mainly  a  device  to  restrain  him,  which 
led  them  probably  to  persuade  the  family  of  Joseph 


286 


Christ’s  erethpwEN. 


[period 


that  Jesus  was  insane.  Doubtless  Mary  could  have 
had  no  such  thought.  But  the  other  members  of  the 
family  were  completely  unable  to  appreciate  their 
brother  ;  and  hence  were  fit  to  be  the  dupes  of  Phari¬ 
saical  guile.  Mary,  unable  to  counteract  their  delu¬ 
sion,  went  with  them,  doubtless  as  a  fond  mother 
would,  to  mitigate  their  harshness,  and  favor  her  first¬ 
born. 

The  healing  of  the  demoniac,  and  the  excitement 
attending  that  event,  led  them  to  seek  to  carry  out 
.  the  wish  of  the  Pharisees,  to  seize  and  confine  Jesus, 
immediately  after  the  above  incident.  But  as  he  con¬ 
tinued  his  discourse  the  congregation  increased,  and 
the  throng  was  so  great  that  they  could  not  gain  ac¬ 
cess  to  him.  At  length  a  message  is  passed  along 
through  the  crowd,  and  one  who  stands  near  informs 
him  that  his  mother  and  brethren,  outside  of  the  press, 
desire  to  speak  with  him.  Intent  on  his  great 
work,  however,  he  calmly  turns  the  attention  of  the 
listeners  to  a  higher  truth.  Who  are  my  relatives  ? 
he  enquires.  Not  kindred  by  blood ;  but  these  my 
faithful  disciples,  these  who  do  the  will  of  my  Father 
who  is  in  heaven,  are  my  mother  and  brethren. 

The  absurdity  of  this  charge  of  insanity  was  too 
apparent  to  admit  an  execution  of  the  purpose  for 
which  it  was  instituted. 

[Luke  11 :  37 — 54.] 

The  constant  machinations  of  the  Pharisees  served 


IV.] 


IHALljoEl^S  JJJ'INOUNCED. 


287 


only  to  lead  Jesus  more  fully  to  expose  and  denounce 
them.  Conscious  of  his  own  rectitude  and  strength, 
and  the  appointment  of  his  time  by  the  Father,  he 
exercised  only  the  prudence  not  to  throw  himself 
needlessly  into  danger,  and  persevered  to  preach  his 
righteous  doctrines. 

Different  motives  impelled  the  Pharisees  to  pay 
more  or  less  regard  to  Jesus,  and  frequently  to  invite 
him  to  their  houses.  His  position  before  the  world 
challenged  at  least  common  civilities,  and  Christ  made 
such  occasions  tell  upon  his  cause.  One  of  his  sever¬ 
est  philippics  against  the  false  upper  classes  was  ut¬ 
tered  at  the  table  of  a  Pharisee  who  invited  him  to 
dine  at  his  house,  after  the  above  discourse. 

Jesus,  perhaps  designedly,  in  order  to  find  occa¬ 
sion  to  rebuke  the  hollow  formalism  of  the  Pharisees, 
omitted  the  customary  ablution  of  the  hands  before 
going  to  table.  In  reply  to  his  host’s  surprise,  he 
proceeded  to  reprove  him  for  the  hypocrisy  of  his 
order. 

p 

Ye  Pharisees  make  clean  the  outside,  but  within 
are  uncleanness  and  wickedness.  Fools,  did  not  he 
that  made  that  which  is  without  also  make  that  which 
is  within  ?  Purify  your  hearts  as  well  as  your  hands. 
Tithe  what  is  within  you,  tax  your  affections,  and 
then  shall  all  things  be  clean  for  you.  When  the 
inside  is  right,  it  matters  little  respecting  the  exte¬ 
rior. 

‘^But  wo  unto  you,  Pharisees!  for  ye  tithe  mint. 


288 


PHARISEES  DENOUNCED. 


[period 


and  rue,  and  all  manner  of  herbs,  and  pass  over  judg¬ 
ment  and  the  love  of  God.  These  ought  ye  to  hove 
done,  and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone.  Wo  unto 
you,  Pharisees  !  for  ye  love  the  uppermost  seats  in 
the  synagogues,  and  greetings  in  the  markets.  Wo 
unto  you.  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  you 
are  like  graves  which  appear  not,  and  the  men  that 
walk  over  them  are  not  aware  of  them.’' 

These  fierce  sentences  went  like  daggers  to  the 
hearts  of  the  listeners.  A-  lawyer  present,  unaccus¬ 
tomed  to  rebuke,  suggests  to  Jesus  that  these  charges 
touch  his  order  also  ;  whereupon  the  fearless  speaker 
turns  upon  him  wdth  still  sharper  reproof  and  denun¬ 
ciation.  ‘^Wo  unto  you  also,  lawyers!  for  ye  lade 
men  with  burdens  grievous  to  be  borne,  and  ye  your¬ 
selves  touch  not  the  burdens  with  one  of  your  fin- 

¥ 

gers.  Wo  unto  you  1  for  ye  build  the  sepulchres  of 
the  prophets,  and  your  fathers  killed  them.  You 
bear  witness  that  you  allow  the  deeds  of  your  fathers ; 
for  they  indeed  killed  them,  and  ye  build  their  sepul¬ 
chres.  Verily  the  blood  of  all  the  prophets,  from 
Abel  to  Zacharias,  shall  be  required  of  this  genera¬ 
tion.”  You  lawyers  show  the  disposition,  and  by 
your  conduct  sanction  the  deeds  of  your  wicked  an- 
cesters.  The  blood  which  they  shed  is  therefore  upon 
you.  You  are  also  deceivers  of  the  people;  pre¬ 
tending  to  be  their  spiritual  guides,  you  lead  them 
astray.  Therefore  again,  ^^Wo  unto  you,  lawyers ! 
for  ye  have  taken  away  the  key  of  knowledge :  ye 


IV.]  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  MULTITUDE.  280 

entered  not  in  yourselves  (into  the  true  knowledge 
of  the  Scriptures),  and  them  that  were  entering  in 
ye  hindered/' 

By  this  time,  the  frenzy  of  the  Pharisees,  Scribes, 
and  lawyers  present,  became  uncontrollable.  Filled 
with  rage,  they  regard  no  propriety,  but  each  one 
burns  to  demolish  the  pungent  reprover.  Vehement¬ 
ly  they  assail  him  with  questions  and  taunts,  and  cun¬ 
ning  devices.  They  crowd  upon  him,  snarl  at  him, 
heap  question  upon  ques.tion,  in  the  hope  of  entan¬ 
gling  him  and  drawing  from  him  some  unguarded  re¬ 
mark,  upon  which  to  base  a  criminal  accusation.  But 
in  all  their  zeal  and  fury,  the  stern  preacher  remains 
calm  and  composed,  meekly  answers  their  questions  and 
foils  their  devices. 

[Luke  12:  1—59.] 

The  indignation  and  uproar  raised  by  the  above 
discourse  broke  up  the  interview  in  the  Pharisees’ 
house  ;  and  Jesus  again  went  out,  but  not  alone.  The 
multitude  had  by  this  time  found  refreshments,  and 
were  ready  to  listen  again  to  the  great  Teacher.  As 
Christ  came  out  into  the  open  air,  he  found  the  house 
surrounded  by  an  eager  throng,  awaiting  impatiently 
his  appearance.  The  boldness  and  success  with  which 
he  attacked  and  scourged  the  Pharisees  no  doubt 
heightened  the  zeal  of  the  common  people  to  hear  him. 
Hence,  upon  the  present  occasion,  we  are  told  that 
they  pressed  forward  in  countless  numbers,  crowding 

25 


290  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  MULTITUDE.  [PERIOD 

upon  and  even  treading  down  one  another  in  their 
zeal  to  get  near  the  speaker. 

Taking  his  place,  with  his  disciples  immediately 
about  him,  the  Saviour  now  delivered  another  discourse 
particularly  to  them  ;  and  in  part  also  to  the  people  ; 
aiming  first  of  all  to  point  out,  and  warn  them  against, 
the  peculiar  vices  and  devices  of  the  Pharisees. 

Beware,  says  he,  of  Pharisaical  hypocrisy.  It  is 
an  evil  leaven  which  cannot  be  hidden.  Nothing  is 
covered  or  hidden  that  shall  not  be  exposed :  that 
which  is  whispered  in  closets  shall  be  proclaimed  upon 
the  house-tops  :  hypocrisy  is  short-lived. 

Again,  my  friends,  fear  not  the  malice  of  these 
enemies;  at  most  they  can  but  kill  the  body.  Fear 
only  Him  who  has  power  after  he  has  killed  to  cast 
into  hell.  Trust  God  to  guard  you  from  the  wiles  of 
men.  He  forgets  not  even  the  sparrow  that  is  sold  for 
less  than  a  farthing.  Ye  are  worth  more  than  manj^ 
sparrows,  and  in  his  gracious  providence  even  the 
hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered.  Hence  when 
they  drag  you  before  magistrates  and  powers,  have 
no  anxiety  for  your  defence.  God’s  Holy  Spirit  shall 
teach  you  what  to  say.  Peace  with  the  world  is  not 
to  be  expected,  (v.  49,  &c.)  I  am  come  to  send  fire 
on  the  earth ;  a  fire  already  kindled ;  but  this  is 
not  all ;  I  have  a  baptism  of  suffering,  and  am  ear¬ 
nest  and  pained  for  its  accomplishment.  Think  ye 
I  came  to  give  peace  on  earth  ?  I  tell  you  nay ;  but 
rather  division.  Henceforth  families  shall  be  divided, 


IV.]  DISCOURSE  TO  THE  MULTITUDE.  291 

father  against  son  and  son  against  father  ;  mother  and 
daughter,  mother-in-law  and  daughter-in-law,  shall  be 
divided  against  each  other.  My  followers  shall  be 
persecuted  and  driven  from  their  homes  by  nearest 
blood-relations.  But  even  this  affords  a  sign  that 
Messiah  has  come.  When  clouds  rise  in  the  west  you 
look  for  rain,  and  when  the  south  wind  blows,  you  say 
there  will  be  heat,  and  so  it  comes  to  pass.  And  why 
cannot  ye,  who  thus  discern  the  indications  of  change 
in  the  natural  world,  also  read  the  signs  of  the  times  ? 
Why  not  discern  the  advent  of  Messiah,  and  secure 
his  friendship  before  he  becomes  your  accuser,  and 
delivers  you  to  that  penalty  from  which  you  cannot 
be  delivered  ?  Now  is  the  time  to  secure  reconcilia¬ 
tion  and  friendship. 

(Vs.  13,  &c.)  A  pause  at  this  point  of  the  discourse 
gave  occasion  for  an  incident  indicative  of  the  confi¬ 
dence  placed  by  the  people  in  the  practical  judgment 
and  integrity  of  our  Lord.  He  had  just  spoken  of  the 
duty  of  being  reconciled  quickly  to  an  adversary. 
A  man  present,  whose  conscience  was  perhaps  dis¬ 
turbed  by  the  remark,  on  account  of  a  difficulty  be¬ 
tween  himself  and  his  brother  relative  to  the  division 
of  their  patrimony,  stept  forward  and  requested 
Christ  to  act  as  arbitrator  between  them. 

In  accordance  with  his  steadfast  purpose  to  avoid 
ixll  interference  in  civil  affairs,  Jesus  declined  the 
request,  and  took  occasion  from  the  incident  to  dis¬ 
course  upon  the  evils  of  covetousness,  and  to  inciil* 


292  PARABLE  OE  THE  RICH  MAN.  [PERIOD 

cate  trust  in  Providence,  and  faithfulness  in  the  cir¬ 
cumstances  under  which  we  are  placed. 

Beware  of  covetousness,  for  a  man’s  life  consist- 

eth  not  in  the  abundance  of  his  possessions.  Then 
follows  the  beautiful  parable  of  the  rich  man,  whose 
grounds  produced  plentifully,  whose  barns  and  store¬ 
houses  were  all  filled,  and  who,  in  his  perplexity  as  to 
how  he  should  dispose  of  all  his  wealth,  determined 
to  pull  down  his  barns  and  build  greater  ;  and  who  be¬ 
gan  to  chuckle  over  his  resources,  saying  to  his  soul, 
‘‘  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years ;  take 
thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry.” 

But  while  he  sat  musing  thus  in  his  easy  chair, 
of  a  sudden,  God,  with  startling  voice,  cried  out  upon 
him  that  dreadful  exclamation,  ‘^Fool,  this  night  thy 
soul  shall  be  required  of  thee ;  then  whose  shall  thy 
possessions  be  ?  ” 

‘‘  So  is  he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  and 
is  not  rich  toward  God.” 

Then  followed  a  beautiful  exhortation  to  the  dis¬ 
ciples  to  cherish  no  anxiety  about  the  body  and  its’ 
necessities.  God  builds  the  body ;  you  can  not  by  any 
planning  add  a  cubit  to  your  stature.  And  why,  there¬ 
fore,  should  you  be  anxious  ?  Trust  him  who  feeds 
the  birds  and  adorns  the  flowers  ;  imitate  not  the 
worldly  in  their  eager  pursuit  of  temporal  good. 
Your  Father  knows  your  necessities;  seek  first  his 
kingdom,  and  other  things  shall  be  provided.  Fear 
not,  little  flock  ;  for  it  is  your  Father’s  good  pleasure 


IV.] 


CHRISTAS  USE  OF  PARABLES. 


293 


to  give  you  the  kingdom.  Be  charitable  with  your 
possessions,  and  seek  rather  the  incorruptible  treasure 
in  the  heavens.  There  let  your  hearts  centre  ;  and 
be  ye  like  stewards  and  servants  holding  your  goods  in 
trust,  and  hourly  waiting  in  expectation  of  the  master 
to  whom  you  are  responsible.  Be  ye  ready,  for  the 
Son  of  Mail  cometh  at  an  hour  when  ye  think  hot. 

Peter  hereupon  enquired  whether  the  figure  of 
servants  watching  for  their  Lord  was  meant  for  him 
and  the  other  disciples  particularly,  or  for  all  present. 

To  this  it  is  replied,  that  the  servant  who  proves 
most  faithful  shall  be  most  highly  esteemed  and  re¬ 
warded  ;  and  that  one  who  has  the  greater  knowledge 
has  the  greater  responsibility.  The  one  who  receives 
rich  instructions  and  disregards  them  shall  be  beaten 
with  many  stripes.  Unto  whomsoever  much  is  given, 
of  him  shall  be  much  required. 

Thus  Christ  conceals  from  his  nearest  followers 
the  time  of  his  second  coming,  and  bids  them  watch 
and  be  ready  even  at  midnight  to  give  up  their  ac¬ 
count. 

We  notice  in  the  discourses  of  Christ,  about  this 
period,  an  increasing  use  of  the  parabolic  style. 
The  parable  was  ever  a  favorite  in  oriental  teaching, 
but  peculiarly  so  with  Christ.  As  used  by  him  it 
served  several  important  ends.  First,  it  gave  a  fresh¬ 
ness  and  originality  to  his  style,  wholly  unlike  the 
dry  dogmatising  of  the  teachers  of  that  age,  and  thus 
secured  attention  to  the  truth.  Moreover,  it  served 

25* 


294  Christ's  use  of  parables.^  [period 

to  embody  inexhaustible  divine  truths  in  material 
imagery  upon  which  all  classes  of  men  could  study 
with  interest  and  profit.  Again,  it  was  calculated  to 
cover  from  the  sight  of  the  obtuse  and  vicious  that 
truth  which  they  would  abuse  and  trample  swine-like 
under  their  feet ;  while  at  the  same  time  it  preserved 
the  truth,  as  a  shell  preserves  its  kernel,  for  those  who 
had  a  heart  to  remember  and  meditate  upon  it. 

The  imagery  used  by  Christ  was  drawn  generally 
from  the  common  processes  of  nature,  and  the  simple 
pursuits  of  a  rural  people,  such  as  the  Galileans  to 
whom  he  preached.  Remarkable  events  in  the  his¬ 
tory  of  the  times  were  also  seized  upon  as  types  of 
general  truths.  Thus,  the  slaughter  of  several  (Luke 
13 :  1 — 9.)  Galileans  while  offering  sacrifice,  by 
Herod,  a  dark  and  cruel  deed  regarded  by  the  people 
as  a  peculiar  judgment  of  heaven  upon  the  individuals, 
was  used  by  Christ  to  call  attention  to  the  universal 
guilt  of  the  nation  and  ,the  ruin  they  would  bring 
upon  themselves  if  they  refused  to  repent.  So  also 
the  falling  of  the  tower  of  Siloam  upon  eighteen  men 
Avas  no  proof  of  their  greater  wickedness,  but  was  an 
emblem  of  the  general  destruction  which  would  soon 
come  down  upon  the  whole  people. 

In  the  same  connection  was  uttered  the  parable  of 
the  fig  tree  in  a  vineyard,  from  which  the  owner  sought 
fruit  three  years  in  vain,  and  then  ordered  it  to  be  cut 
down  for  barrenness,  but  at  the  intercession  of  the  gar¬ 
dener  spared  it  another  year.  This  parable  beautifully 


IV.  J 


THE  SOWER  AND  THE  IrEVD. 


^95 


represents  the  barrenness  of  the  Jewish  nation,  and 
their  speedy  removal,  in  order  that  the  culture  ex¬ 
pended  upon  them  might  be  given  to  others  who  would 
be  fruitful,  and  exhibit  a  true  piety. 

[Matt.  13:  1—23;  Mark  4 :  1—25;  Luke  8 :  4—18.] 

The  elevated  hills  about  Gennessaret  and  the  fer¬ 
tile  plain  along  the  western  shore  afforded  a  variety 
of  imagery  for  our  Lord’s  discourses.  On  one  occa¬ 
sion,  probably  in  seed-time,  we  find  him  leaving  the 
city  and  going  down  by  the  lake  shore,  where  a  great 
multitude  immediately  collects  about  him. 

As  on  a  former  occasion,  he  enters  a  boat,  and 
sitting  down  upon  it  as  it  floats  at  anchor  a  little  out, 
addresses  the  multitude  on  shore.  In  the  course  of 
his  address,  he  delivers  the  beautiful  parable  of  the 
sower  and  the  seed,  illustrative  of  the  reception  which 
his  truth  receives,  and  its  history  in  the  world. 

In  many  of  Christ’s  previous  discourses,  we  may 
have  marked  his  thorough  understanding  of  the  men 
and  times  in  which  he  lived,  and  his  practical  skill  in 
adapting  his  discourse  to  the  true  wants  of  his 
hearers. 

In  this  parable,  and  others  like  •  it,  we  see  how 
clearly  and  prophetically  he  discerned  the  future  his¬ 
tory  of  his  gospel  and  kingdom  in  the  world.  He 
seems  to  have  foreseen  from  the  beginning  the  whole 
history  of  Christianity. 

They  err  most  gratuitously  who  conjecture  that 

I 


29G  THE  SOWER  AND  THE  SEED.  [PERIOD 

Christ’s  plans  and  hopes  were  frustrated  by  his  ene¬ 
mies.  He  knew  too  well  the  condition  and  the  philo¬ 
sophy  of  the  human  mind  and  character  to  be  disap¬ 
pointed  in  his  calculations.  He  knew  well  the  soil, 
the  seed,  and  the  processes  by  which  and  from  which 
his  kingdom  was  to  grow. 

As  the  farmer’s  seed  sown  in  these  unfenced  fields 
of  Galilee  falls,  some  by  the  way  side,  and  is  devoured 
by  the  fowls;  some  in  stony  places,  where  it  has  no 
depth  of  earth  and  withers  after  a  short,  unnatural 
growth ;  some  among  thorns,  by  which  it  is  choked 
and  rendered  fruitless ;  but  some  into  a  rich  and  mel¬ 
low  soil  which  produces,  in  various  degrees,  thirty, 
sixty,  or  an  hundred  fold ;  so  is  it  with  the  seed  of 
truth.  One  hearer,  wholly  unsusceptible,  receives  no 
impression  from  the  truth;  it  is  snatched  away  by  evil 
birds  and  lost. 

Another,  with  a  quick  susceptibility,  but  no  depth 
of  principle,  gives  the  truth  a  pert  welcome,  and  sends 
forth  sudden  verdure  as  if  the  truth  had  found  a  fit 
soil ;  but  the  first  enthusiasm  over,  when  adverse  in¬ 
fluences  begin  to  work,  his  piety  dies ;  he  has  not  a 
faith  that  can  strive  and  triumph. 

Another  blends  piety  and  worldliness,  and  cherishes 
impure  desires,  until  his  faith  is  choked  and  killed  by 
the  unhallowed  alliance.  All  these  classes  yield  no 
genuine  fruits. 

There  are,  however,  others  who  honestly  receive 
the  truth  and  yield  the  appropriate  fruits ;  though  in 


IV.] 


THE  TARES. 


297 


different  proportions,  according  to  their  susceptibility 
and  the  degree  in  Avhich  they  yield  themselves  up  to 
its  influence. 

Plain  and  striking  as  this  parable  seems  to  us,  a 
private  interpretation  was  needed  by  the  disciples. 
After  explaining  it  to  them,  Jesus  proceeds  to  teach 
them*  that,  as  they  are  the  favored  ones  to  whom  the 
mysteries  of  truth  are  to  be  revealed,  while  the  hard¬ 
ened  multitudes  hear  and  understand  not,  they  should 
faithfully  receive  his  instructions,  and  seek  to  reflect 
the  light  which  falls  upon  them.  As  his  ministers 
they  are  not  to  hide  the  truth,  but  to  exhibit  it. 
Therefore,  says  he,  take  heed  how  ye  hear. 

[Matt.  13:  24—53 ;  Mark  4:  26—34.] 

Similar  in  imagery,  but  of  a  different  aim,  is  the 
parable  of  the  wheat  and  the  tares  growing  in  the 
same  field  until  the  harvest ;  the  one  kind  growing  for 
the  granary,  and  the  other  for  the  fire. 

So  in  the  visible  church  must  we  tolerate  often 
false  disciples  amongst  the  true,  and  await  God’s  final 
separation  and  purification;  such  a  separation  he  will 
make.  The  reaper-angels  shall  ‘‘gather  the  tares 
and  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them;”  and  then 
shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  king¬ 
dom  of  their  Father. 

Of  similar  import  is  the  parable  of  the  net  and 
fishes,  (vs.  47 — 50.)  As  the  net  gathers  of  every 
kind,  and  the  fishermen  on  shore  “  gather  the  good 


298  OTHER  PARABLES.  [PERIOD 

into  baskets,  but  cast  the  bad  away;  so  the  church 
below  gathers  of  every  kind,  but  upon  the  shore  of 
eternity,  the  angels  shall  separate  the  wicked  from 
among  the  just,  and  cast  them  into  the  furnace  of 
fire.’’ 

These  parables  seem  to  have  been  mainly  designed 
for  the  disciples.  The  following  seems  fitted  to  show 
them  that  the  results  of  preaching  are  not  dependent 
upon  human  efficiency.  We  are  to  cast  in  the  good 
seed,  and  trust  Providence  to  bring  the  crop.  The  hus¬ 
bandman  sows  the  seed,  and  then  sleeps  and  rises  night 
and  day,  leaving  it  to  the  faithful  earth  which  sends 
forth,  he  knows  not  how,  in  succession  the  blade,  the 
ear,  and  the  full  grain  in  the  ear.  Without  the  far¬ 
mer’s  nurture  comes  the  harvest,  and  he  puts  in  his 
sickle  and  reaps.  So  in  the  hearts  of  men  shall  grow 
the  seeds  of  truth,  if  faithfully  sown. 

The  germ  of  truth  may  be  small  and  its  progress 
slow ;  but  though  small,  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed, 
it  will  become  a  tree ;  the  life  is  in  it,  and  it  shall  fill 
the  world.  As  a  quickening  leaven  it  will  work  through 
all  human  society,  infusing  a  new  and  heavenly  life. 

“  And  with  many  such  parables  spake  he  the  word 
unto  them,  as  they  were  able  to  bear  it.”  Thus  in 
the  parables  of  the  hidden  treasure  and  the  pearl, 
Christ  sets  forth  the  value  of  religion  and  the  necessity 
of  an  entire  devotion  in  order  to  attain  it.  One  finds 
it  as  it  were  by  accident,  in  his  neighbor’s  field ; 
another,  after  protracted  search  in  foreign  markets ; 


IV.]  JESUS  POORER  THAN  THE  BIRDS  AND  FOXES.  299 

but  each  must  purchase  it  by  the  sacrifice  of  all  that 
he  has.’'  The  kingdom  of  God  must  be  valued  above 
all  Other  treasures. 

In  a  conversation  with  his  disciples,  after  the  de¬ 
livery  of  the  parables  alluded  to  above,  Christ  inti¬ 
mates  to  them  that  his  style  of  teaching  is  to  be  their 
model.  Every  scribe  should  be  able  thus  to  bring 
forth  things  new  and  old,  to  lead  his  hearers  from  old 
and  common  truth,  to  that  which  is  new  and  higher ; 
and  to  do  it  by  the  use  of  new  and  pleasing  illustra¬ 
tions. 

The  latter  part  of  this  discourse  was  delivered  to 
the  disciples  who  sought  and  received  in  private  more 
particular  explanations  of  passages  uttered  in  public. 
Jesus  had  dismissed  the  congregation  to  which  he  had 
spoken,  and  had  entered  into  a  house  in  the  town  near 
the  lake,  perhaps  for  refreshments. 


[Matt.  8  :  18 — 27 ;  Mark  4 :  35 — 41 ;  Luke  8 :  22 — 25  ;  Luke  9  : 

57—62.] 

Toward  evening  as  he  went  forth,  the  multitude 
again  surrounded  him.  As  he  proceeded  toward  the 
lake,  a  man  who  had  been  somewhat  deeply  impressed 
by  his  preaching,  proposed  to  follow  him  as  a  constant 
disciple.  Christ,  however,  instead  of  encouraging  his 
proposition,  took  occasion  to  point  out  the  self-denials 
and  toils  involved  in  such  a  course  of  life.  I  have  no 
rewards  and  worldly  honors  or  enjoyments  for  my 
followers  ;  I  promise  no  earthly  kingdom,  nor  sensual 


300  LOOKING  BACK.  [PERIOD 

heaven.  Poorer  than  the  birds  or  the  foxes,  the  Son 
of  Man  has  not  where  to  lay  his  head. 

How  unlike  the  policy  of  impostors  is  this ;  and 
how  clearly  did  Christ  foresee  the  hindrances  and  suf¬ 
ferings  that  should  attend  his  church. 

But  while  Christ  discouraged  and  refused  the  fel¬ 
lowship  of  those  who  had  not  a  true  devotion,  he  called 
upon  others  to  forsake  all  and  follow  him.  Thus, 
one  of  the  company,  on  this  same  occasion,  who  had 
attached  himself  to  Christ,  asked  permission  to  retire 
and  bury  his  father. 

Jesus  disapproved  of  no  natural  affection,  and 
would  discourage  no  filial  duty  ;  but  this  instance  was 
seized  upon  by  him  to  inculcate  the  necessity  of  a 
complete  surrender  of  the  world  and  of  all  natural 
ties,  when  the  interests  of  God’s  kingdom  demand  it. 
“Let  the  dead,”  says  he,  “bury  their  dead:  but  go 
thou  and  preach  the  kingdom  of  God.”  Others,  who 
have  no  appreciation  of  the  importance  of  the  gospel- 
ministry,  can  attend  to  these  common  duties ;  let  him 
who  has  a  higher  calling  obey  it  without  distraction. 

In  the  same  spirit  he  says  to  another,  who  would 
go  and  bid  farewell  to  his  friends  at  home  before  fol¬ 
lowing  the  Saviour,  “  No  man  having  put  his  hand  to 
the  plough,  and  looking  back,  is  fit  for  the  kingdom 
of  God.”  No  one  is  fit  for  a  disciple  who  does  not 
once  for  all  give  himself  up  entirely  to  his  Lord’s 
service. 

Having  reached  the  lake,  Christ  again  entered  a 


CROSSING  THE  LAKE. 


301 


IV.] 

boat  belonging  to  some  of  his  disciples,  and  having 
dismissed  the  multitude  that  attended  him,  bade  his 
disciples  sail  across  to  the  eastern  shore  of  Gennes- 
saret.  Several  other  boats,  manned  in  part  by  those 
who  were  strangers  to  Jesus,  were  about  to  cross  over 
at  the  same  time.  As  night  came  on  the  little  fleet 
set  sail,  and  bore  ofl*  to  the  south-east  for  the  coast  of 
Gadara. 

Wearied  with  his  exhausting  labors,  the  Saviour 
lay  down  in  the  stern  of  the  vessel  and  fell  asleep. 
The  sea  of  Galilee  has  ever  been  subject  to  sudden 
storms  of  wind  that  come  sweeping  down  from  the 
naked  hills  around  it.  In  the  course  of  the  night, 
such  a  wrathful  tempest  came  down  suddenly  upon  the 
little  fleet ;  the  billows  soon  broke  furiously  over  the 
vessels,  threatening  to  engulf  them ;  terror  and  dis¬ 
may  seized  upon  the  sailors.  The  appalled  disciples, 
half  angry  that  their  master  should  sleep  so  calmly  in 
such  an  hour,  awoke  him,  one  crying,  carest  thou 
not  that  we  perish?  and  another,  Lord,  save  or  we 
perish.” 

Rising  up  at  their  entreaty,  the  awakened  sleeper 
manifested  no  anxiety  and  shared  in  no  degree  their 
alarm  ;  but  turning  composedly  to  the  roaring  sea  and 
peering  out  into  the  darkness,  he  cried,  in  commanding 
tone,  “Peace,  be  still!” 

Arid  quick  as  soldiers  to  the  captain’s  “  halt  I  ”  the 
obedient  wind  and  wave  sank  down,  and  “  there  was 
a  great  calm.” 


26 


302  GADARENE  DEMONIAC.  [PERIOD 

The  design  of  the  miracle  was  probably  to  con¬ 
trast  the  calmness  and  self-possession  of  Christ  wdth 
the  timidity  of  the  disciples,  and  to  strengthen  their 
faith  in  his  dominion  over  nature,  and  in  his  ability  to 
subdue  all  things  to  his  divine  purpose,  and  specially 
to  calm  the  troubled  minds  of  terrified  men.  Hence 
Christ  reproved  their  faithlessness  and  fear.  Did  they 
not  know  that  the  Son  of  God  was  with  them  ?  The 
impression  produced  upon  some  of  the  sailors  or  pas¬ 
sengers,  who  had  little  knowledge  of  Jesus,  was  deep 
and  fearful.  What  manner  of  man  is  this,’'  who 
sails  with  us,  say  they,  that  even  the  winds  and  the 
sea  obey  him  ?  ” 


[Matt.  8:  28 — 34;  9:1;  Mark  5:  1 — 21;  Luke  8:  26 — 40.] 

Morning  found  the  voyagers  climbing  the  rugged 
hills  of  Gadara.  Near  the  lake,  upon  a  high  bluff, 
they  passed  herds  of  swine,  those  unclean  beasts, 
most  odious  to  a  Jew.  Further  on,  in  the  region 
of  the  tombs  which  still  abound  in  the  hill-sides, 
they  were  met  by  two  demoniacs ;  the  one  naked  and 
fierce  exceedingly,  a  raving  maniac  whom  no  chains 
or  guards  could  restrain,  and  who  loved  to  wander 
amid  the  tombs  and  caverns,  making  them  more  dole¬ 
ful  by  his  cries  and  ravings. 

The  fame  of  Christ’s  power  over  spirits  clean  and 
unclean  had  doubtless  long  before  this  circulated 
through  the  region  of  Gadara,  and  the  wild  demoniac 
had  heard  of  him  with  an  idiot’s  fear. 


IV.] 


GADARENE  DEINIONIAC. 


303 


This  poor  and  wretched  man  was  fully  impressed 
with  the  belief  that  his  personality  was  suppressed  and 
subjected  by  evil  spirits,  and  that  he  was  constantly 
acting  the  demon.  Learning  that  the  great  exorcist 
had  come,  the  Son  of  the  Most  High  who  controlled 
the  dark  realm  of  devils,  he  was  at  once  fearfully  ex¬ 
cited.  His  proper  person,  the  lingering  consciousness 
of  true  humanity  that  remained  in  him,  seemed  drawn 
with  reverence  to  the  Savior ;  but  at  the  same  time  the 
evil  spirit  rose  in  fear  and  anger,  and,  by  its  superior 
might,  compelled  him  to  cry  out,  “  What  have  we  to 
do  with  thee,  thou  Son  of  the  Most  High  God  ?  Art 
thou  come  to  torment  us  before  the  time  ?  In  the  name 
of  God,  we  adjure  thee,  torment  us  not !  ” 

Here  was  a  consciousness  that  Jesus  was  to  be  the 
final  judge,  and  that  the  doom  of  the  evil  legion  was 
determined.  This  is  the  more  noteworthy,  for  the 
reason  that  this  demoniac  was  probably  a  pagan. 

Jesus  mildly  addressed  him,  asking  his  name,  and 
thus  softening  his  feelings,  while  he  bade  the  unclean 
spirit  come  out  of  him.  Pointing  to  the  unclean 
beasts  in  the  distance,  the  demoniac,  as  the  organ  of 
the  demons,  entreated  that  they  might  enter  into 
them. 

The  record  is  brief,  much  that  was  said  being  prob¬ 
ably  omitted  by  the  Evangelists.  Suffice  it  that  the 
demoniac  suddenly  grows  tame  and  mild;  the  demoii 
goes  out  of  him;  he  sinks  subdued,  reasonable,  and 
joyful  at  the  Savior’s  feet.  But  as  his  madness  de- 


8U4 


GADARENE  DEMONIAC. 


[period 


parts,  the  swine  to  which  he  pointed  are  seized  with 
ungovernable  frenzy  and  rush  headlong  down  the 
precipice  into  the  lake. 

The  rumor  of  these  strange  transactions  soon 
reaches  the  city  and  the  surrounding  country.  Anon 
the  excited  populace  rush  to  the  spot  where  Jesus  and 
his  company  and  the  changed  maniac  still  remain. 
Meantime  the  cured  man  has  been  clothed,  and  sits  as 
a  docile  pupil  at  Jesus'  feet.  The  sight  of  this  man  so 
changed,  and  the  account  of  the  drowned  swine,  strike 
the  superstitious  Gadarenes  with  terror,  and  they  stu¬ 
pidly  entreat  Jesus  to  leave  their  territory ;  an  en¬ 
treaty  with  which  he  complies,  to  their  great  loss. 

The  now  devoted  and  grateful  demoniac  entreats 
Jesus  to  let  him  follow  as  a  disciple.  But  the  Saviour 
bids  him  go  home  and  bear  witness  to  his  friends  and 
countrymen  how  great  things  the  Lord  has  done  for 
him.” 

We  hear  of  him  no  more,  save  that  he  went  his 
way  and  published  his  cure  through  Gadara  and  all 
Decapolis.  Probably  the  reason  why  Christ  refused 
him  the  privilege  of  following  him  was  to  secure  his 
testimony  and  influence  amongst  the  heathen  of  that 
region  ;  hence,  he  bade  him  publish  his  cure.  While 
in  Galilee  he  frequently  enjoined  secrecy  in  similar 
cases. 


[Matt  9:  10 — 17;  Mark  2:  15 — 22;  Luke  5  :  29 — 39.] 

After  the  above  transaction,  Jesus  returned  again 


IV.] 


RETURN  TO  CAPERNAUM. 


305 


across  the  lake  to  Capernaum.  Upon  landing,  he  was 
welcomed  by  an  enthusiastic  crowd  of  people,  who 
were  anxiously  awaiting  his  return. 

Levi,  who  was  probably  the  Matthew  of  the  New 
Testament,  celebrated  this  occasion  by  making  a  great 
feast;  perhaps  partly  in  honor  of  Jesus,  and  partly  as 
a  farewell  to  his  old  companions.  That  Christ  should 
hold  any  intercourse  with  publicans  was  abhorrent  to 
the  Pharisees ;  but  when  they  saw  him  go  to  attend  a 
social  party  at  the  house  of  a  publican,  where  that 
class  of  persons  mainly  composed  the  company,  they 
could  not  conceal  their  surprise  and  contempt  from 
his  disciples. 

Jesus  hearing  their  complaint  pertinently  re¬ 
marked,  that  he  came  to  call  not  the  righteous,  but 
sinners  to  repentance.  The  whole  need  no  physician. 
The  lower  class  were  they  who  most  felt  their  need  of 
a  Saviour,  and  were  most  susceptible  to  renewing  in¬ 
fluences.  The  Pharisees  were  indeed  as  needy,  but 
unconscious  of  their  malady,  they  desired  not  the 
physician,  and  were  not  apt  subjects  for  Christ’s 
ministry. 

Our  Lord’s  free  participation  in  the  social  enjoy¬ 
ments  of  mankind,  and  the  cheerful  kind  of  life  led 
by  his  disciples,  presented  another  point  of  oflence  to 
the  Pharisaical  party,  and  also  to  the  disciples  of 
John  the  Baptist. 

On  the  present  occasion,  some  of  them  enquire  of 
Jesus  why  his  disciples  do  not  fast  frequently,  as  do 
26* 


806 


FASTING. 


[PERIOD 


the  disciples  of  John  and  the  Pharisees  ?  The  pur¬ 
port  of  Christ’s  answer  is,  that  the  virtue  of  fasting 
lies  in  the  disposition  of  heart  and  mind  which  it  ex¬ 
presses,  and  is  insignificant  and  improper  where  there 
is  no  sadness  and  bitterness  of  soul  to  prompt  it.  On 
this  account  it  is  not  now  a  time  for  Christ’s  disciples 
to  fast.  Why  should  the  guests  fast  while  with  the 
bridegroom  ?  After  the  festal  days  will  come  a  time 
for  sadness.  The  disciples  are  now  living  in  free  and 
joyful  communion  with  their  Lord.  When  he  shall  be 
removed,  it  will  be  time  for  them  to  fast.  In  the  hours 
of  grief  and  darkness,  which  shall  succeed  his  depart¬ 
ure,  they  will  spontaneously  express  their  sorrow  in 
these  symbols  which  would  now  be  but  mockery. 
Propriety  should  be  observed.  A  specific  form  of  re¬ 
ligion  may  not  always  be  appropriate.  The  new  spirit 
of  Christianity  may  not  comport  with  the  old  garments 
of  Pharisaical  formalism. 

Sew  a  patch  of  unfulled  cloth  upon  an  old  gar¬ 
ment,  and  it  will  shrink  and  leave  the  garment  with  a 
larger  rent.  Pour  new  wine  into  old  skins,  and  it  will 
by  fermentation  burst  them,  and  both  be  lost.  Cramp 
the  joyous  spirit  of  a  new  disciple  by  old,  ascetic  for¬ 
malisms,  and  you  mar  and  disfigure  the  character  and 
life.  No  man,  having  tasted  old  and  mellow  wine, 
immediately  desires  that  which  is  new  and  sour.  So 
the  disciples  having  participated  in  the  gentle  and 
cheerful  spirit  of  the  gospel,  can  not  be  at  once  led 
into  the  austere  discipline  of  the  ceremonial  law.  In 


IV.]  JAIRUS’  DAUGHTER  RAISED  TO  LIFE.  807 

due  time,  and  in  appropriate  ways,  they  may  learn 
more  rigid  rules. 

[Matt.  9:  18 — 26;  Mark  6  :  22 — 43;  Luke  8:  41 — 56.] 

While  engaged  in  this  discourse,  respecting  the 
mode  of  life  pursued  by  his  disciples,  Christ  was  in¬ 
terrupted  by  Jairus,  a  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  who 
came  with  an  earnest  request  that  he  would  go  speed¬ 
ily  to  his  house  and  save  his  daughter,  who  was  even 
now  at  the  point  of  death.  He  doubted  not  that  if 
Jesus  would  but  go  and  lay  his  hand  upon  her  she 
should  live. 

In  compliance  with  his  request  the  Saviour  went 
with  him,  attended  by  a  throng  of  people.  Indeed, 
so  great  was  the  multitude  that  Jesus  was  hindered 
in  the  way,  and  another  miracle  was  performed  be¬ 
fore  he  could  reach  the  house  of  Jairus. 

A  woman  who  had  suffered  from  an  issue  twelve 
years  spent  all  that  she  had  with  physicians,  suflFered 
much,  and  was  still  growing  worse,  had  heard  of  Je¬ 
sus  and  conceived  the  notion  that  a  kind  of  magical 
virtue  streamed  from  him,  so  that  if  she  could  but 
touch  his  garment  she  should  be  healed. 

Not  having  courage  to  speak  to  the  Saviour  she 
took  advantage  of  the  pressure  and  throng  of  the 
people  to  get  near  enough  to  him  to  touch,  as  she  de¬ 
sired,  his  clothes.  In  accordance  with  her  faith,  the 
issue  instantly  ceased.  Incorrect  as  was  her  view  of 


308  JAIRUS'  DAUGHTER  RAISED  TO  LIFE.  [PERIOD 

the  Saviour,  her  faith  was  approved,  and  her  hope 
realized, 

Jesus,  conscious  that  healing  virtue  had  gone  forth 
from  him,  enquired  instantly  who  touched  him. 
Whether  he  knew,  or  did  not  know,  the  woman’s  act 
and  experience  is  not  clear.  It  would  seem  that  the 
Father  worked  through  him  almost  unconsciously  to 
him.  Or  he  may  have  desired  to  exhibit  the  woman’s 
faith,  and  asked  who  touched  him  merely  in  order  to 
draw  out  her  testimony  before  others ;  probably  this 
was  the  truth  in  the  case. 

Peter  was  surprised  that  in  such  a  press  and  throng 
his  master  should  ask  who  touched  him ;  as  if  but  one 
had  touched  him.  But  when  Jesus  insisted  upon  an 
answer,' the  trembling  woman  came  forward  and  con¬ 
fessed  the  whole.  Jesus  approved  her  faith,  and  bade 
her  go  in  peace. 

By  this  time  they  were  met  by  messengers  from 
the  house  of  Jairus  who  reported  that  the  girl  was 
dead,  all  hope  lost,  and  that  the  father  need  not 
‘‘trouble  the  Master  any  further.”  Jesus  would  not, 
however,  suffer  the  hope  of  the  sorrowing  parent,  who 
had  come  to  him  in  faith,  to  be  frustrated ;  and, 
therefore,  said  to  Jairus,  “Fear  not,  believe  only, 
and  she  shall  be  made  whole.” 

Arrived  at  the  house,  they  find  the  mourners 
loudly  lamenting  and  wailing,  according  to  the  oriental 
custom.  To  Christ’s  remark  that  the  “  damsel  is  not 


IV.]  THE  BLIND  MEN  CURED.  309 

dead  but  sleepeth,”  they  reply  with  sneers  and  scorn, 
‘‘knowing  that  she  was  dead/'  The  confidence  with 
which  Christ  encouraged  Jairus  to  expect  his  child's 
restoration  must  have  rested  upon  a  divine  assurance 
of  the  power  to  raise  her  from  death.  The  circum¬ 
stances  were  such  as  to  preclude  any  mere  man  from 
predicting  with  confidence  her  resuscitation. 

Sending  them  all  out  of  the  room  save  Peter, 
James,  and  John,  his  faithful  witnesses,  and  the  pa¬ 
rents  of  the  girl,  in  order  that  the  miracle  may  be 
wrought  in  silence,  Jesus  now  takes  the  hand  of  the 
corpse,  and  in  his  calm,  commanding  tone,  calls,  as  to 
an  inhabitant  of  the  other  world,  “Maid,  arise!" 
And  straightway  she  obeys,  arises,  and  walks.  Pre¬ 
senting  her  to  the  astonished  parents,  the  Saviour  bids 
them  give  her  some  refreshment,  and  make  no  pub¬ 
licity  of  the  miracle.  The  enthusiasm  of  the  people 
was  already  so  high,  that  Jesus  desired  secrecy  rather 
than  notoriety  in  his  works.  Still,  with  his  utmost 
precautions,  it  was  impossible  to  prevent  the  rumor 
of  these  great  deeds  from  spreading  abroad  “through 
all  the  land." 

[Matt.  9:  27—34.] 

One  illustration  of  this  occurred  immediately  after 
the  above  transaction.  As  Jesus  left  the  place,  two 
blind  men  followed  him,  crying,  “  Son  of  David,  have 
mercy  on  us  1 " 

Unwilling  to  perform  a  cure  for  them  publicly,  as 


810  THE  BLIND  MEN  CURED.  [PERIOD 

it  had  now  become  almost  impossible  for  him  to  pass 
along  the  streets,  Jesus  paid  no  attention  to  them  un¬ 
til  they  had  followed  him  into  a  house,  to  which  he 
retired  to  escape  the  multitude.  When  alone  with 
them,  he  listened  to  their  petition,  questioned  them 
concerning  their  faith,  and  opened  their  eyes,  saying, 
‘‘  according  to  your  faith  be  it  unto  you.”  Having 
cured  them,  he  “  strictly  charged  them,  saying,  see  that 
no  man  know  it.”  But,  notwithstanding  this  strict 
injunction  of  silence,  as  soon  as  “  they  were  departed, 
they  spread  abroad  his  fame  in  all  that  country.” 
The  healing  of  a  dumb  idiot  possessed  with  a  devil” 
is  mentioned  by  Matthew  in  this  connection;  but  the 
circumstances  would  seem  to  indicate  that  it  was  the 
same  case  spoken  of  in  Matt.  12  :  22,  &c. 

Christ  now  left  the  vicinity  of  the  lake  and  made 
another  circuit  through  other  parts  of  Galilee.  In  the 
opinion  of  some  he  again  visited  Nazareth,  was  again 
rejected,  and  departed  “  marvelling,”  (Matt.  13  :  64 — 
58 ;  Mark  6 :  1 — 6)  because  of  their  unbelief.  In 
support  of  the  opinion  of  a  second  visit  to  Nazareth 
is  the  remark  that  he  “  laid  his  hands  upon  a  few  sick 
folks  and  healed  them;  ”  whereas  in  the  other  case, 
recorded  in  Luke  4 :  16 — 30,  he  is  represented  as  re¬ 
fusing  to  perform  any  miracle  at  Nazareth. 

It  is  not  impossible,  however,  that,  although  on  his 
first  visit  he  refused  to  perform  a  miracle  publicly, 
merely  to  gratify  an  idle  curiosity,  he  might  have 
healed  ^^a  few  sick  folk”  in  the  place  or  vicinity,  ii) 


IV.]  THE  TWELVE  SENT  OUT  TO  PREACH.  311 

a  private  and  unostentatious  manner,  either  before  or 
after  the  excitement  occasioned  by  his  discourse  in  the 
^  synagogue.  Hence  it  seems  probable  that  Jesus  visi¬ 
ted  Nazareth  but  once  as  a  public  teacher,  and  that 
the  above  is  the  true  solution  of  the  variations  in  the 
narratives, 

[Matt.  7:6;  Matt.  9 :  35 — 38  ;  Matt.  10:  1 — 15  ;  Matt.  11 :  1 ; 

Mark  6  :  6 — 13  ;  Luke  9  :  1 — 6.] 

Over  two  years  of  Christ’s  public  ministry  had  now 
passed.  His  disciples  had  enjoyed  many  opportu¬ 
nities  of  hearing  his  doctrines  and  witnessing  his  mir¬ 
acles.  As  a  prominent  object  was  to  fit  them  to  be 
ambassadors  and  preachers  of  the  gospel,  Christ,  in 
view  of  the  spiritual  destitution  of  the  Galileans  and 
the  great  work  that  was  opening  up  before  him,  deter¬ 
mined  at  this  time  to  send  forth  the  twelve  on  a  mis¬ 
sion  through  the  neighboring  towns.  Doubtless  the 
practical  influence  of  such  a  mission  upon  the  disci¬ 
ples  themselves,  as  preparatory  to  their  future  minis¬ 
try,  was  one  object  in  sending  them  out  at  this  time. 
But  compassion  for  the  destitute,  wandering  multi¬ 
tudes,  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  prompted 
the  Saviour  to  extend  his  labors  through  the  aid  of  the 
disciples.  ‘‘  The  harvest,”  said  he,  ^Gs  plenteous,  but 
the  laborers  are  few.  Pray  the  Lord  of  the  harvest 
that  he  will  send  forth  laborers.” 

The  twelve  had  not  yet  become  well  enough  in¬ 
structed  in  the  doctrines  and  plans  of  Christ  to  preach 


312  THE  TWELVE  SENT  OUT  TO  PREACH.  [PERIOD 

the  full  gospel,  or  to  contend  with  sceptics,  and  face 
enemies.  Hence  they  were  directed  simply  to  pro¬ 
claim  to  those  who  were  looking  for  Messiah  that  he  , 
had  come.  ‘^As  ye  go,  preach,  saying,  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  at  hand.”  The  new  dispensation  has 
dawned  ;  the  Redeemer  has  come. 

Hence  also  they  were  restricted  to  the  region 
where  the  least  prejudice  would  be  met,  and  where  the 
people  would  most  readily  listen  to  their  simple  and 
cheering  story.  Israel  was  to  receive  the  first  minis¬ 
trations  of  the  gospel.  On  the  old  dispensation,  as  a 
basis,  was  to  rest  the  new.  Samaria  and  Heathendom 
were  not  appropriate  fields  for  the  first  evangelical 
efforts.  Christ  himself  only  went  upon  foreign  soil 
enough  to  overcome  the  prejudice  of  his  disciples,  and 
to  give  them  an  example  which  they  might  imitate 
after  they  should  receive  their  final  commission,  and 
be  endowed  with  the  plenitude  of  the  spirit. 

It  was  important  that  the  disciples,  even  in  this 
preparatory  mission,  should  be  able  to  confirm  by  in¬ 
controvertible  testimony  the  truth  of  their  proclama¬ 
tion  that  the  kingdom  of  God  had  come. 

Hence,  Jesus  endowed  them  also  with  power  to  work 
miracles.  ‘‘Heal  the  sick,”  says  he  to  them,  “ cleanse 
the  lepers,  raise  the  dead,  cast  out  devils.”  How  full 
of  the  divine  power  was  he  who  could  thus  communi¬ 
cate  to  others  the  ability  to  work  all  miracles. 

Furthermore,  he  enjoined  upon  them  not  to  make 
their  gifts  a  source  of  gain  and  personal  emolument. 


IV.]  THE  TWELVIC  SENT  OUT  TO  PREACH.  313 

Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give.”  Yet,  although 
they  might  not  ‘‘sell  the  gift  of  God  for  money,”  as 
laborers  they  were  worthy  of  a  support.  Hence,  said 
he,  take  with  you  no  provision  of  food  or  clothing ; 
go  as  you  are.  Cast  yourselves  upon  the  generosity 
of  the  people  to  whom  you  preach ;  and  take  such  fare 
as  they  offer  you.  If  rejected  in  one  place,  go  to 
another,  shaking  “off  the  dust  of  your  feet  for  a  tes¬ 
timony  against  them”  who  reject  you.  “  Give  not 
that  which  is  holy  unto  the  dogs,  neither  cast  ye  your 
pearls  before  swine.”  (Matt.  7 :  6.)  They  were  not 
indiscriminately  and  rashly  to  force  their  doctrines 
upon  men  of  carnal  and  hostile  feelings,  who  would 
only  be  enraged  by  them.  Propriety  of  time  and 
place  should  be  observed.  Labor  should  not  be 
thrown  away  upon  the  utterly  unsusceptible.  They 
should  be  bold,  but  discreet. 

Thus  commissioned,  the  twelve  departed  “by  two 
and  two;”  “and  went  through  the  towns,”  preaching  * 
that  “men  should  repent.”  “And  they  cast  out 
many  devils,  and  anointed  with  oil  many  that  were 
sick,  and  healed  them.” 

And  when  Jesus  had  sent  out  his  disciples,  he  also 
“  departed  thence  to  teach  and  to  preach  in  their 
cities.” 

[Matt.  14  :  6 — 11 ;  Mark  6 :  21 — ^29.] 

About  this  period  a  sad  tragedy  was  enacted  in 
the  fortress  of  Machaerus  were  John  the  Baptist  was 

27 


314 


JOHN  THE  BAPTIST  BEHEADED.  [PERIOD 

still  confined.  Already  had  the  stern  preacher  of  re¬ 
pentance  lain  in  confinement  eighteen  tedious  months ; 
but  the  revenge  of  his  enemies  was  not  satisfied. 
Herod’s  unhallowed  amour,  which  had  caused  John’s 
imprisonment,  was  also  to  cause  his  death.  The 
tetrarch  himself  feared  to  offer  violence  to  the  holy 
preacher ;  but  a  rash  oath,  made  to  the  daughter  of 
Herodias,  became  the  occasion  for  John’s  death- 
w^arrant. 

Without  indictment,  trial  or  warning,  the  guiltless 
prophet  was  suddenly  called  to  confront  the  execu¬ 
tioner.  Friendless  and  helpless  the  holy  man  yielded 
in  silence ;  the  remorseless  steel  did  its  speedy  work ; 
down  on  the  prison  fioor  rolled  the  headless  trunk  of 
J ohn ;  and  down  and  away  from  the  rocky  fortress 
went  his  reeking  head,  to  gratify  the  malice  of  a  heart¬ 
less  adultress.  So  went  silent  the  voice  of  him  that 
cried  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the 
Lord.”  So  died  the  last  and  greatest  of  the  prophets 
of  the  old  dispensation,  and  the  first  herald  of  the 
new. 


[Matt.  14:  1—2;  Mark  6 :  14—16;  Luke  9 :  7  -9.] 

Meantime  the  disciples  of  Jesus  have  extended  the 
fame  of  their  master.  Mighty  works  have  been  mul¬ 
tiplied  in  his  name ;  the  story  of  his  miracles  soon 
reaches  the  court  of  Herod.  With  it  comes  the  conjec¬ 
ture  that  this  miracle-worker  may  be  the  same  as  that 
preacher  of  righteousness  who  had  two  years  before 


IV.]  THE  TWELVE  RETURN  TO  JESUS.  315 

made  such  an  excitement  through  all  Palestine,  and 
who  had  recently  been  unrighteously  executed.  The 
suggestion  takes  fast  hold  of  the  conscience-smitten 
Herod.  The  ghastly  present  in  the  charger  that  he 
had  given  to  the  beautiful,  but  heartless  dancer,  haunts 
the  tetrarch;  he  would  gladly  see  whether  those 
fearful  features  can  be  detected  in  the  face  of  Jesus. 

[Matt.  14:  12 — 21 ;  Mark  6;  30 — 44;  Luke  9:  10 — 17 ;  John  6: 

1—14.] 

The  few  disciples  of  John  who  lingered  about  the 
southern  border  of  Perea,  hearing  the  fate  of  their 
master,  went  and  buried  his  headless  body,  and  then  in 
their  forlorn  sorrow  sought  the  company  and  sympa¬ 
thy  of  Jesus  and  his  disciples. 

Soon  after,  the  twelve  hearing  that  Herod  had 
destroyed  John,  and  now  desired  to  see  Jesus,  suspect¬ 
ing  that  he  might  be  the  Baptist  raised  from  the  dead, 
returned  to  Jesus  and  reported  the  events  of  their 
mission.  The  time  for  which  they  had  been  sent  out 
had  expired.  The  passover  was  also  approaching, 
and  caravans  began  to  collect  for  the  annual  journey 
to  Jerusalem. 

They  found  Jesus  at  Capernaum,  surrounded  as 
usual  by  multitudes,  and  employed  in  his  wonted 
labors. 

Both  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  now  wearied 
with  protracted  toil.  They  had  lived  as  in  the  con¬ 
stant  excitement  and  pressure  of  a  great  protracted 


316 


THE  TWELVE  KLTURN  TO  JESUS.  [PERIOD 

meeting  for  many  months ;  and  little  opportunity 
could  be  enjoyed  for  private  intercourse  between  themJ^ 
Should  they  now  join  the  caravan  and  attend  the 
passover,  their  labors  would  be  increased,  and  their 
facilities  for  private  intercourse  diminished ;  so  great 
and  wide-spread  was  the  interest  felt  throughout  all 
Palestine  relative  to  Christ  and  his  works. 

In  order  to  avoid  for  a  while  the  machinations  of 
enemies,  particularly  of  the  Pharisees  at  Jerusalem, 
and  to  secure  a  season  of  retirement  and  quiet  for  the 
better  instruction  of  his  disciples,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  recruit  their  exhausted  energies,  Jesus  deter¬ 
mined  at  this  time,  contrary  to  his  custom,  to  stay 
away  from  the  passovef. 

Hence,  when  his  disciples  gathered  about  him 
upon  their  return,  he  said  to  them  in  language  most 
touching  to  one  who  considers  the  travels  and  toils 
which  he  had  undergone,  “  come  apart  into  a  desert 
place  and  rest  awhile.”  The  writer  adds,  that  ‘Hhere 
were  many  coming  and  going,  and  they  had  no  leisure 
so  much  as  to  eat.”  Weary,  working,  sympathising 
Son  of  Man,  who  could  more  need  rest  and  solitude  ? 
But  no  rest  could  yet  be  attained. 

As  companies  were  just  forming  to  go  to  Jerusa¬ 
lem,  and  all  society  was  astir,  the  crowds  that  fol¬ 
lowed  the  Saviour  were  still  greater  than  usual. 
Hence,  privacy  and  retirement  were  for  him  naturally 
impossible,  as  appeared  from  the  following  incidents : 
an  arrangement  was  made  by  the  disciples  to  take  a 


IV.]  CROSSING  OVER  TO  BETHSAIDA-JULIUS.  81 T 

boat  privately,  and  convey  Jesus  across  the  northern 
end  of  the  lake  from  Capernaum  to  a  ‘^desert  place’’ 
near  Bethsaida-Julius. 

But  the  watchful  multitude  discover  the  plan,  and 
some  of  them  recognize  Jesus  as  he  embarks.  No 
sooner  had  the  little  vessel  started  for  the  opposite 
shore  than  the  signal  was  given,  and  off  started  the 
enthusiastic  multitudes  on  foot  around  the  northern 
end  of  the  lake,  determined  to.  meet  him  at  the  oppo¬ 
site  landing.  Zeal  lent  speed;  and  when  the  boat 
neared  the  eastern  shore,  the  ardent  multitude  were 
there  to  greet  her. 

The  sight  of  these  people  moved  the  compassionate 
Saviour,  who  looked  upon  them  as  sheep  not  having 
a  shepherd.”  He  received  them  kindly,  renounced 
for  the,  present  the  hope  of  rest  and  quiet,  and  in¬ 
stantly  began  to  “  speak  unto  them  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,”  and  to  heal  ‘^such  as  had  need  of  healing.” 

Evening  came  on  and  found  the  multitude,  now 
weary  and  faint,  still  listening  to  Christ’s  discourse. 
All  day  they  had  followed  and  attended  him,  regard¬ 
less  of  fatigue  and  hunger.  Now  they  were  in  a  deso¬ 
late  place  with  no  provision ;  some  of  them  too  faint, 
and  perhaps  also  too  poor,  to  go  to  Bethsaida  or  else¬ 
where  for  food. 

The  compassionate  teacher,  mindful  of  their  need, 
confers  with  his  disciples  respecting  a  meal  for  the 
vast  congregation.  The  disciples  can  devise  no  better 
method  than  to  disperse  the  crowd,  and  let  them  shift 

27* 


818  FEEDING  OF  THE  FIVE  THOUSAND.  [PERIOD 

for  themselves.  Twenty-eight  dollars  worth  of  bread, 
says  Philip,  would  not  be  enough  to  furnish  each  one 
with  a  small  piece.  We  can  not  make  such  an  expen¬ 
diture;  neither  is  a  supply  attainable  if  we  had  the 
money.  But,  says  Jesus,  they  must  not  depart  hun¬ 
gry  ;  we  must  feed  them.  Andrew  remarks,  that  a 
lad  present  (probably  a  huckster,  who  had  followed 
the  multitude)  has  five  barley-loaves  and  two  small 
fishes  ;  but  what  are  they  among  so  many  V  “  Bring 
them  to  me,''  replies  Jesus,  and  make  the  multitude 
^^sit  down  by  fifties  in  a  company."  Without  further 
parley,  the  order  is  obeyed.  By  fifties  the  men  di¬ 
vide  off  and  recline  upon  the  grassy  plain,  till  a  hun¬ 
dred  fifties  are  ranged  around,  besides  women  and 
children." 

^‘Looking  up  to  heaven,"  Jesus  now  blesses  the 
bread,  and  begins  to  break  the  loaves  and  divide  the 
fishes,  and  distribute  “  to  his  disciples,  and  the  disci¬ 
ples  to  the  multitude."  One  company,  and  another, 
and  another,  is  supplied ;  and  still  he  goes  on  to  break 
and  distribute.  Fifty  fifties  have  been  supplied,  and 
still  ho  breaks,  and  divides,  and  gives.  And  on,  and 
on  goes  the  work,  and  the  loaves  still  multiply !  Five 
thousand  hungry  men  have  eaten,  and  still  the  bread 
and  the  fish  abound ;  and  every  woman  and  every  child 
receives  a  liberal  share,  and  eats  and  is  satisfied,  all 
are  satisfied ;  and  fragments  lie  thick  around  that  may 
fill  many  baskets. 

The  impression  upon  the  multitude  is  deep  and 


IV.]  FEEDING  OF  THE  FIVE  THOUSAND.  819 

strong.  This  is  of  a  truth  that  prophet  that  should 
come  into  the  world/’  say  they.  Heretofore  they  be¬ 
lieved  Jesus  to  be  a  prophet.  But  this  climax  of 
miracles,  this  virtual  creation  of  a  material  substance, 
in  which  no  psychical  influence  could  operate,  con¬ 
vinces  them  that  Jesus  is  the  prophet,”  the  Messiah 
that  should  come.  This  must  be  the  king  of 
Israel.”  And  why  shall  he  not  be  at  once  crowned 
and  proclaimed  ?  Here  we  are,  flve  thousand  able 
witnesses  of  his  miraculous,  creative  power ;  why  shall 
we  not  raise  the  Messianic  standard  and  proclaim  him 
head  of  the  theocracy?. 

Such  sentiments  begin  to  run  through  the  admiring 
thousands,  whose  enthusiasm  now  seems  irresistible. 

But  Jesus  knows  better  the  plan  and  issue  of  his 
mission.  No  civil  crown  will  he  wear,  no  army  wdll 
he  head  against  the  powers  that  be.  His  king¬ 
dom  is  not  of  this  world.  Nor  is  this  admiring  mul¬ 
titude  possessed  of  such  a  devotion  as  he  approves. 
He  will  evade  and  frustrate  their  design. 

Night  coming  on,  Jesus  bade  his  disciples  embark 
in  order  to  return  to  Capernaum.  Having  sent  them 
away,  he  dismissed  the  multitude,  and  went  away 
alone  upon  a  mountain  to  pray.  He  sought  silent 
communion  with  his  Father,  rather  than  a  civil 
crown,  as  the  consumm^ation  of  that  day’s  labor  and 
achievements. 

,  The  disciples  sailed  along  the  shore  for  awhile  to¬ 
ward  Bethsaida,  expecting  Jesus  to  come  and  embark 


820  THE  STORM.  [PERIOD 

with  them,  after  he  should  dismiss  the  multitude.  But 
having  waited  and  watched  for  him  in  vain,  until  it  was 
dark,  they  at  length  steered  across  the  lake  for  Caper¬ 
naum.  To  their  dismay  a  strong  head  wind  arose ;  the 
night  grew  stormy,  and  the  sea  boisterous.  Between 
three  and  six  o’clock  in  the  morning,  they  were  still  toil¬ 
ing  at  their  oars,  about  four  miles  out,  unable  either  to 
advance  or  to  return  to  the  shore  they  had  left.  In 
their  perplexity,  a  new  terror  suddenly  arose.  Out 
upon  the  rough  billows  appeared  the  form  of  a  man, 
walking  upon  the  water.  Doubting  not  that  the  ap¬ 
parition  was  a  spirit,  sent,  perhaps,  to  trouble  them, 
the  terrified  disciples  cried  out  from  fear.  But  in 
answer  to  their  cry,  a  well-known  voice  replied,  ^^It 
is  I,  be  not  afraid.” 

Peter  overjoyed  cries  out,  ^‘Lord,  if  it  be  thou,  bid 
me  come  to  thee  on  the  water and  he  said,  ^^come.” 
With  more  zeal  and  self-confidence  than  true  faith, 
the  headlong  Peter  leaps  overboard  and  begins  to  ad¬ 
vance.  But  the  wind  and  the  waves  overcome  his 
faith,  he  begins  to  sink,  and  cries  again,  Lord,  save 
me.”  Jesus  catches  the  sinking  disciple,  reproves 
him  for  his  doubting,  and  with  him  enters  the  ship. 
At  once  the  winds  blow  fair,  the  storm  abates,  and 
they  are  drifted  to  their  desired  haven.  Wind  and 
wave  are  obedient  to  him  who  walks  upon  the  billows ; 
all  goes  well  when  Christ  is  in  the  ship. 

Owing,  perhaps,  to  their  fear  and  personal  inter¬ 
est,  this  miracle  of  walking  the  sea  and  stilling  the 


lY.] 


CHRIST  SIFTS  HIS  FOLLOWERS. 


821 


tempest,  more  powerfully  impressed  the  twelve  than 
had  the  miracle  of  the  preceding  evening.  Deeply  agi¬ 
tated  they  worship  him,  saying,  ‘‘of  a  truth  thou  art 
the  Son  of  God.’^ 

Landing  after  day-break,  upon  the  western  shore 
of  Gennesaret,  Jesus  is  recognized  by  the  people,  and 
the  scenes  of  former  days  are  re-enacted. 

Wherever  he  goes,  into  city,  village,  or  country,  he 
is  met  by  the  eager  populace  bringing  their  sick  and 
infirm,  filling  at  times  the  streets  where  he  is  to  pass, 
and  entreating  that  they  may  touch,  “if  it  were  but 
the  border  of  his  garment.  And  as  many  as  touched 
him  were  made  whole.’' 


[John  6,  22:  71;  7:  1.] 

On  the  next  day  after  the  miraculous  feeding  of 
the  multitude,  east  of  Gennesaret,  they  were  at  a  loss 
to  account  for  Christ’s  disappearance  ;  they  had  seen 
the  disciples  go  oflf  without  him,  and  were  not  aware 
of  his  departure  during  the  night. 

Full  of  enthusiasm,  and  eager  to  witness  new  mira¬ 
cles,  they  diligently  sought  him.  Unable  to  find  him 
east  of  the  lake,  many  of  them  obtained  a  passage 
across  to  Capernaum,  probably  upon  boats  that  had 
come  up  from  Tiberias.  Continuing  their  search,  they 
at  length  found  Jesus  in  the  synagogue  at  Capernaum, 
and  enquired  with  much  apparent  interest  when  he 
had  come  across  the  lake. 

Jesus,  aware  of  the  superficiality  of  their  attach- 


822  DISCOURSE  IN  THE  SYNAGOGUE.  [PERIOD 

ment,  instead  of  welcoming  them  as  they  hoped,  im¬ 
mediately  began  to  reprove  their  selfishness  and  car¬ 
nal  views.  ‘^Ye  seek  me  not  because  ye  saw  the 
miracle,  but  because  ye  did  eat  of  the  loaves  and  were 
filled.”  He  counsels  them  to  seek  not  perishing  meat, 
but  to  labor  for  that  which  endureth  unto  everlasting 
life;  which  the  Son  of  Man,”  whom  the  Father  has 
“sealed”  (impressed  his  seal  upon  him  as  divine), 
shall  give  unto  them. 

To  the  question  of  some  one,  what  they  must  do 
“to  work  the  works  of  God?  ”  how  they  may  secure 
the  bread  of  life  (perhaps  anticipating  that  Christ 
would  prescribe  new  rites  and  formalities),  he  replies, 
“Believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent.”  A  true  faith 
in  Christ  is  the  substance  of  all  religion. 

But  they  are  not  ready  to  believe  with  a  true  faith ; 
their  carnal  enthusiasm  has  been  cooled,  and  they  ask 
for  some  surer  sign  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God.  •  They 
had  not  seen  the  bread  rain  down  out  of  heaven,  as 
did  the  manna  for  their  fathers.  A  stupid  people 
with  no  aflSnity  for  spiritual  things  may  admire  mira¬ 
cles  ;  but  no  true  faith  will  be  engendered  in  such 
minds  by  them;  they  will  still  clamor  for  “signs.” 

Endeavoring  to  awaken  more  spiritual  desires, 
Christ  more  directly  presents  himself  to  them  as  the 
true,  heaven-descended  bread.  But  they  are  per¬ 
plexed  and  oflended  that  he,  whom  they  had  known 
as  “the  carpenter’s  son,”  should  talk  of  having  come 
down  from  heaven.  He  then  proceeds  to  show  them 


IV.]  DISCOURSE  IN  THE  SYNAGOGUE.  323 

the  reason  of  their  obtuseness  and  incredulity.  They 
need  a  new  disposition  of  heart,  and  an  inward  draw¬ 
ing  of  the  Father.  They  must  be  taught  of  God  and 
obey  his  call ;  not  carnally  waiting  to  see  him  by  the 
bodily  eye,  but  by  a  higher  longing  and  spiritual  ap¬ 
propriation  of  Christ  as  the  living  bread,  becoming 
partakers  of  the  heavenly  life. 

As  they  pervert  and  take  in  a  carnal  sense  the  re¬ 
mark  of  Christ,  that  he  would  give  his  flesh  for  the 
life  of  the  world,  he  repeats  more  forcibly,  that  unless 
they  eat  his  flesh  and  drink  his  blood,  they  can  have 
no  true  life ;  unless  they  receive  that  divine  life  se¬ 
cured  by  his  self-sacrifice,  his  death,  and  live  upon 
him  by  a  free  and  constant  participation  of  his  spirit, 
they  can  not  have  any  spiritual  life. 

But  the  carnal  hearers  can  not  conceive  how  Christ 
could  have  come  from  heaven  as  bread  for  them.  It 
is  a  hard  (absurd)  saying,  who  can  hear  it  ?  ”  Know¬ 
ing  their  perplexity  and  vexation  Christ  intimates  that 
they  may  yet  see  him  again  ascend  to  heaven. 

This  might  have  convinced  them  that  he  meant  no 
carnal  eating  of  his  flesh ;  particularly  as  he  remarks 
that  his  words  are  spirit  and  life ;  to  be  taken  spirit¬ 
ually,  not  literally  and  carnally.  The  flesh,”  says 
he,  ‘^profiteth  nothing.”  A  literal,  carnal  interpre¬ 
tation  of  these  words  is  valueless.  Hence,  the  natu¬ 
ral  inference  that  he  meant  not  a  literal  eating  of  his 
flesh,  but  a  spiritual  appropriation  of  himself  as  an 
atonement  for  sin,  and  the  imparter  of  divine  life. 


824  CHRIST  SIFTS  HIS  FOLLOWERS.  [PERIOD 

Christ  probably  desired  to  sift  his  followers,  and 
hence  presented  such  truth,  and  in  such  forms,  as  to 
attract  more  strongly  his  true  disciples,  and  to  repulse 
the  selfish  and  carnal. 

This  was  the  result.  Many  went  back  and  walked 
no  more  with  him.” 

In  view  of  their  apostacy,  Christ  afterward  asks 
the  twelve  whether  they  will  also  forsake  him?  And 
in  reply  to  Peter’s  assurance  that  they  had  the  witness 
of  his  Messiahship,  he  tells  them  that  one  of  them  is 
false,  ‘‘one  of  you  is  a  devil.”  This  shows  that 
Christ,  at  this  time,  knew  the  true  character  and  pro¬ 
spective  end  of  Judas.  The  assurance,  given  in  such 
strong  language,  of  the  hypocrisy  of  one  of  them, 
might  have  led  to  such  a  self-examination  as  would 
have  resulted  in  the  repentance  of  Judas,  had  he  not 
been  indeed  “a  devil.” 

The  great  falling  off,  occasioned  by  the  above  dis¬ 
course,  amongst  the  folloAvers  of  Jesus,  was  a  signal 
for  renewed  and  fiercer  persecution  on  the  part  of 
the  hostile  Jews.  Jesus  was  by  this  confirmed  in 
his  determination  to  stay  away  from  the  present,  that 
is  the  third,  passover  at  Jerusalem,  the  centre  of 
Pharisaical  power  and  hostility,  and  to  continue  his 
ministry  still  longer  in  the  north. 

The  following  incident  shows  the  nature  of  the 
charges  preferred  by  the  Pharisees,  and  the  unshrink¬ 
ing  manner  in  which  he  met  them. 

o 


825 


IV.]  OF  DEFILEMENTS. 

[Matt  15  :  1—20  ;  Mark  7  :  1—23.] 

The  slight  regard  paid  to  pharisaical  traditions 
by  Christ  and  his  disciples  was  the  greatest  vexation 
to  his  enemies.  Seeing  the  disciples  go  to  the  table 
without  first  washing  their  hands,  which  the  Pharisees 
enjoined  as  a  religious  duty,  some  of  them  from  Jeru¬ 
salem  make  complaint  to  Christ,  and  demand  a  reason 
for  such  lawlessness.  His  reply  is  a  severe  thrust  at 
their  whole  system  of  formalism  and  hypocrisy.  They 
asked,  why  his  disciples  transgressed  ‘‘  the  traditions 
of  the  elders?”  “Why,”  asks  he,  “do  ye  trangress 
the  commandments  of  God  by  your  traditions,”  “teach¬ 
ing  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men.”  As  a 
specimen  of  their  transgressions,  he  cites  the  device 
by  which  they  encouraged  ingratitude  and  cruelty  to 
parents,  justifying  a  child  in  withholding  the  means 
of  sustenance  from  needy  parents,  in  order  to  make 
showy  sacrifices  and  gifts  for  the  temple.  “And,”  he 
adds,  “many  such  like  things  ye  do.” 

Then  turning  to  the  people,  he  warns  them  against 
the  senseless  formalism  of  the  times,  telling  them  that 
what  comes  out  of  a  man  defiles  him,  not  what  enters 
into  him. 

Afterwards,  the  disciples  came  to  Jesus,  telling 
him  that  the  Pharisees  had  taken  ofience  at  this  re¬ 
mark,  and  desiring  for  themselves  an  explanation  of 
his  meaning.  Even  they  were  yet,  to  some  extent,  in 
bondage  to  tradition. 

As  to  the  Pharisees,  said  he,  “let  them  alone.” 

28 


826 


OF  DEFILEMENTS. 


Every  plant  not  of  the  Father’s  planting  shall  be 
rooted  up.  And  such  are  they.  ‘‘  Blind  leaders  of 
the  blind/’  they  and  their  followers  shall  fall. 

But  he  expressed  surprise  that  the  disciples  could 
not  understand  his  remark.  Perceive  ye  not,  that 
what  a  man  eats  goes  not  into  his  heart,  affects  not  his 
inner  life ;  but  that  out  of  his  heart  come  all  vile  de- 
filements  and  wickedness  ? 


PERIOD  V. 


FROM  THE  THIRD  PASSOVER  TO  THE 
FEAST  OF  TABERNACLES. 


The  absence  from  Galilee  of  many  of  the  people 
at  the  time  of  the  passover,  and  the  alienation  of 
many  who  had  pretended  to  be  his  friends,  gave 
Christ  an  opportunity  to  retire  with  his  disciples  to 
more  remote  districts.  This  he  desired  in  order  to 
have  more  private  communion  with  them  and  complete 
their  instructions,  and  also  to  avoid  meeting  Herod ; 
perhaps,  also,  he  desired  for  awhile  to  come  less  in 
contact  with  the  hostile  pharisaic  party,  and  slightly 
to  extend  his  mission  into  the  more  obscure  regions. 

We  find  him  soon  with  his  disciples  traversing  the 
Mediterranean  shore,  in  the  vicinity  of  Tyre  and  Si- 
don.  Of  the  many  rich  conversations  enjo3^ed  by  the 
disciples  during  this  journey,  or  of  the  great  thoughts 
that  swelled  the  bosom  of  Jesus  as  he  looked  west¬ 
ward  over  that  sea  which  a  Paul  was  afterwards 
to  traverse  for  his  sake,  no  record  remains.  Onlj^  one 


the  syrophenician  woman.  [period 

incident  of  the  journey  is  recorded,  the  healing  of  the 
Syrophenician  woman’s  daughter. 

[Matt.  15:  21—28;  Mark  7 :  24—30.] 

The  fame  of  Jesus  had  preceded  him,  and  even  in 
Tyre  and  Sidon  he  could  not  remain  unobserved. 

A  heathen  woman  of  that  region,  who  had  a  de¬ 
moniacal  daughter,  heard  of  him,  and  sought  him  in 
behalf  of  her  child.  Christ  desiring  not  to  attract 
attention  in  that  place,  at  first  paid  her  no  attention.' 
When  she  followed  them  perseveringly,  crying,  0 
Lord,  Son  of  David,  have  mercy !  ”  the  disciples  re¬ 
quested  Jesus  to  send  her  away.  Then  he  said  to  her 
in  caustic  language,  ‘‘It  is  not  meet  to  take  the  child¬ 
ren’s  bread  and  cast  it  to  dogs.” 

These  severe  words  were  not  uttered  without  a 
reason.  Christ  had,  on  former  occasions,  relieved 
heathen  sufferers ;  and,  although  his  personal  labors 
were  to  be  mainly  restricted  to  the  Israelites,  yet  he 
had  no  bitter  and  exclusive  prejudice  against  others. 
Probably  when  he  made  this  remark,  he  designed  to 
gratify  her  desire.  But  he  would  first  try  her  faith 
and  humility,  and  secure  from  her  an  expression  of 
meekness  and  confidence  that  should  be  instructive  to 
the  disciples,  and  memorable  for  all  time. 

Conscious  of  her  inferiority,  and  full  of  reverence 
for  Christ  as  the  representative  of  God,  instead  of 
going  away  discouraged,  grieved,  or  angered  by  his 
sharp  remark,  the  woman  answered  meekly,  “  Truth, 


JESUS  IN  DECAPOLIS. 


329 


v.J 


Lord,”  the  dogs  should  not  have  the  children’s  bread, 
‘^yet  the  dogs  under  the  table  eat  of  the  children’s 
crumbs.”  May  not  even  we  have  a  crumb  of  mercy? 
This  was  enough.  Jesus  now  replied,  0  woman, 
great  is  thy  faith ;  ”  ‘‘for  this  saying  go  thy  way,  the 
devil  is  gone  out  of  thy  daughter.”  At  the  same 
time,  as  she  learned  upon  returning  home,  “her 
daughter  was  made  whole.” 

Thus  Christ  again  showed  his  disciples  that  hum¬ 
ble  faith  is  the  condition  of  acceptance  with  God ; 
and  that  this  faith  is  as  acceptable  in  a  Syro- 
phenician  woman  as  in  the  most  favored  son  of 
*  Abraham. 


[Matt.  16:  29—38;  Mark  7:  31—37;  8:  1—9.] 

Returning  from  the  region  of  Tyre,  Jesus,  as  if 
still  to  avoid  the  domains  of  Herod,  passed  into  De- 
capolis,  a  small,  independent  State,  lying  south-east 
of  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  Seeking  retirement,  he  went 
upon  a  mountain ;  but  this’  was  too  near  the  theatre 
of  his  former  labors  for  him  to  remain  unvisited. 
The  story  of  the  Gadarene  demoniac,  and  probably 
the  report  of  all  his  miracles  in  Galilee,  had  penetra¬ 
ted  the  region;  and,  consequently,  Christ  soon  found 
himself  again  surrounded  by  multitudes,  bringing  to 
him  the  sick  and  infirm  of  every  order.  Again  he 
resumed  his  wonderful  deeds  of  mercy.  The  first 
iiiiincle  performed  here,  at  this  time,  deserves  special 
^otice.  ou  account  of  the  manner  in  which  it  was  per- 

28* 


330  CmE  OF  THE  DEAF  MAN  OF  DECAPOLIS.  [PERIOD 

formed.  The  subject  was  a  deaf  man,  who  had  an 
impediment  in  his  speech.”  Mark  says,  that  Jesus 
‘‘  took  him  aside  from  the  multitude,  and  put  his  fin¬ 
gers  into  his  ears,  and  he  spit,  and  touched  his  tongue, 
and  looking  up  to  heaven,  he  sighed,  and  saith  unto 
him,  be  opened.”  Immediately  ^‘his  ears  were 
opened,  and  the  string  of  his  tongue  was  loosed,  and 
he  spake  plain.” 

As  Jesus  now  desired  retirement,  and  enjoined 
upon  the  man  and  his  friends  not  to  tell  of  the  cure, 
it  seems  probable  that  he  took  the  man  aside  and  used 
the  manipulations  and  signs  mentioned,  in  order  to 
diminish  somewhat  their  astonishment,  by  exhibiting 
something  approaching,  in  appearance,  the  use  of  ma¬ 
terial  means  ;  which  still  were  evidently  inadequate  to 
the  result,  without  a  supernatural  agency. 

But  his  injunction  of  secrecy  caused  the  greater 
publicity ;  and  as  he  would  never  refuse  a  deed  of 
mercy  when  sought  for  in  faith,  miracle  followed  mira¬ 
cle,  until  the  people  ‘‘glorified  the  God  of  Israel,” 
saying,  “  He  hath  done  all  things  well.” 

It  was  soon  reported  far  and  near  where  Jesus  was, 
and  visitors  thronged  to  him  from  a  distance.  Three 
days  the  eager  multitude  lingered  about  him  forgetful 
of  their  common  wants.  Indeed,  the  number  in  at¬ 
tendance,  which  had  now  reached  “  four  thousand,  be¬ 
sides  women  and  children,”  was  too  great  to  admit  of 
any  natural  supply  of  food  out  there  upon  the  deso¬ 
late  mountain. 


V.]  FEEDING  OF  THE  FOUR  THOUSAND.  331 

Christ’s  sympathy  for  them  in  these  circumstances 
was  the  occasion  of  his  working  another  miracle  very 
much  like  that  wrought  a  short  time  before,  near 
Bethsaida- J  ulius. 

By  the  multiplication  of  seven  loaves  and  a  few 
fishes  that  Tvere  found  amongst  the  company,  he  sat¬ 
isfied  the  hunger  of  the  vast  assembly,  and  seven 
baskets  of  fragments  remained. 

[Matt.  15:  39;  16:  1—4;  Mark  8 :  10—12.] 

After  feeding  and  dismissing  the  multitude  in  De- 
capolis,  Jesus  with  his  disciples  passed  over  the  lake 
westward  and  northward  to  Magdala,  a  village  four 
miles  north  of  Tiberias.  Here  they  were  met  and 
worried  by  a  company  of  sceptical  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees,  who  wished  Jesus  to  give  them  some  as¬ 
tounding  sign  from  heaven.”  Sighing  deeply  at  the 
repetition  of  such  stupid  and  carnal  demands,  and  the 
obstinate  unbelief  of  those  who  made  them,  he  gave 
them  only  a  sharp  rebuke,  and  left  them. 

[Matt  16  :  4—12  ;  Mark  8  :  13—21.] 

Again  embarking  in  their  little  vessel,  Christ  and 
his  disciples  steer  across  the  lake  to  the  vicinity  of 
Bethsaida- Julius.  This  is  the  commencement  of  a 
tour  northward  into  the  region  of  Cesarea  Phillippi. 

As  they  approach  the  north-eastern  shore  of  the 
lake,  it  occurs  to  them  that  they  have  forgotten  to 
bring  with  them  the  desirable  quantity  of  provisions ; 


332  LEAYEX  OF  THE  PHARISEES.  [PERIOD 

a  single  loaf  or  cake,  insuflScient  for  a  meal,  being  all 
that  is  found  amongst  them. 

The  mind  of  Jesus  is  occupied  with  thoughts  of  the 
Pharisees  whom  he  had  met  at  Magdala,  and  taking 
a  figure  from  the  topic  on  which  the  disciples  were 
conversini^,  he  bids  them  beware  of  the  ‘^leaven’'  of 
the  Pharisees.  Their  dulness  in  not  perceiving  the 
purport  of  his  remark  leads  him  to  remind  them  of 
his  ability  to  furnish  bread  as  he  had  done  for  the 
multitudes ;  and  to  intimate  the  greater  importance 
of  solicitude  respecting  the  sentiments  with  which 
their  minds  should  be  leavened.  They  should  be  on 
their  guard  against  the  specious  pretences  of  phari- 
saical  enemies. 


[Mark  8  :  22—26.] 

Leaving  the  lake,  the  travellers  proceeded  next  to 
Bethsaida,  the  first  town  on  their  way  to  Cesarea 
Phillippi.  There  a  blind  man  was  brought  to  Jesus, 
and  a  cure  solicited.  Taking  the  man  out  of  the 
town,  to  avoid  publicity,  and  as  in  the  case  of  the 
deaf  Decapolitan  performing  certain  manipulations, 
he  partially  restored  his  sight.  Enquiring  of  the  man 
whether  he  saw  anything,  he  replied,  see  men  as 
trees  walking.”  Then  putting  his  hands  again  upon 
him  he  gave  him  perfect  vision,  and  sent  him  home, 
enjoining  upon  him  not  to  tell  any  in  the  town  what 
had  been  done  for  him.  The  transaction  was  evidently 
managed  so  as  to  avoid  publicity  ana  furtiiei  detention 
at  Bethsaida. 


333 


V.]  PETER^S  FAITH. — THE  KEYS. 

[Matt.  16:  13—20;  Mark  8:  27—30;  Luke  9 :  18—21.] 

As  they  journeyed  northward,  Jesus  enquired  of 
the  disciples  what  opinion  the  people,  amongst  whom 
they  had  travelled  on  their  mission,  held  respecting 
himself.  The  reply  w\as,  that  some  regarded  him  as 
John  the  Baptist,  others  as  Elias,  and  others  still  sup¬ 
posed  that  one  of  the  old  prophets  had  arisen. 

This  shows  that  Christ  was  at  that  time  held  in  very 
high  estimation,  even  by  those  who  had  no  conception 
of  his  real  character.  The  old  prophets  were  regarded 
by  all  as  the  first  of  men. 

After  giving  the  opinions  of  the  people,  the 
apostles  were  asked  their  own  opinion  respecting  Je¬ 
sus.  Peter  replied  for  himself  and  the  others,  ‘‘Thou 
art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God.” 

This  prompt  and  unqualified  avowal  of  his  faith 
secured  for  Peter  the  warm  approbation  of  Jesus. 
“Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Bar  Jona,  for  flesh  and 
blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.”  This  faith  is  an  inner  revelation 
from  God.  Only  an  inner  communion  with  the  divine 
spirit  reveals  Christ's  true  character.  Peter  had  at¬ 
tained  an  intuition  of  the  divine  life,  and  hence  Christ 
proceeded  to  promise  him  the  honor  of  being  the  founder 
of  the  Christian  church,  and  the  first  preacher  of  the 
gospel  to  the  world,  so  far  as  merely  human  agency 
was  concerned.  And  as  the  first  preacher,  Peter 
should  have  the  keys  of  the  visible  kingdom  or  church. 
He  should  (loose)  proclaim  pardon  to  those  who  rightly 


334  PETER  COMMENDED  AND  REPROVED.  [PERIOD. 

received  the  message  of  the  gospel ;  and  (bind)  virtu¬ 
ally  pronounce  the  condemnation  of  those  who  re¬ 
jected  it.  Although  the  disciples  were  convinced  of 
the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  they  had  very  erroneous 
vieivs  respecting  the  nature  of  that  Messiahship.  To 
prevent  the  excitement  and  political  manoeuvres  which 
might  result  from  wrong  notions  respecting  the  office 
of  Messiah,  he  commanded  his  disciples  not  to  tell 
any  man  that  he  was  the  Christ. 

He  thus  confirmed  the  faith  of  the  disciples,  ad¬ 
mitting  that  he  was  the  Anointed,  but  enjoined  silence 
respecting  this  truth  until  they  should  have  more  cor¬ 
rect  views  of  his  plan.  In  order  to  correct  their  ap¬ 
prehensions,  he  proceeded  next  to  instruct  them  in 
respect  to  his  anticipated  sufferings  and  death. 

[Matt.  16  :  21—28  ;  Mark  8 :  31—38  ;  9:1;  Luke  9:  22—27.] 

Peter  heard  with  astonishment  from  the  lips  of 
Jesus  that  he  should  suffer  many  things  of  the  elders, 
and  chief  priests  and  scribes,  and  be  killed,  and  be 
raised  again  the  third  day.'’  Influenced  by  his  love 
for  the  person  of  Jesus,  and  by  his  worldly  expecta¬ 
tions,  more  than  by  correct  views  of  his  mission,  and 
humble  submission  to  his  superior  wisdom,  the  rash 
disciple  exclaimed,  ‘^Far  be  it  from  thee.  Lord:  this 
shall  not  be  unto  thee.”  This  inconsiderate  exclama¬ 
tion  brought  upon  Peter  a  rebuke  as  pungent  as  the 
previous  commendation  had  been  flattering. 

Regarding  Peter’s  zeal  and  attitude  as  designed  to 


V.] 


THE  TRANSFIGURATION. 


335 


turn  him  away  from  the  great  object  of  his  mission, 
Christ  replied  to  him,  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan; 
thou  art  an  offence  unto  me.”  Mere  human  affection, 
though  devoted  to  the  person  of  Jesus,  must  not  be 
suffered  to  oppose  the  faithful  discharge  of  duty. 

Turning  then  to  the  whole  body  of  the  disciples, 
Jesus  taught  them  that  not  only  must  he  suffer,  but 
whoever  would  follow  him  as  a  true  disciple,  must  be 
prepared  to  renounce  all  things  else  and  bear  persecu¬ 
tion  and  death  for  Jesus’  sake.  The  disciple  is  not 
called  to  ease  and  power,  but  to  a  life  of  toil  and  self- 
denial.  The  world,  its  favor  and  fortune,  honors  and 
emoluments,  stand  opposed  to  the  life  of  the  soul. 
Only  they  who  are  prepared  to  suffer  with  Christ  here, 
and  await  his  second  coming  for  the  reward,  can  be 
admitted  into  his  kingdom.  Triumph  comes  after 
conquest.  And,  for  their  encouragement,  he  adds, 
that  the  time  is  not  distant  when  the  kingdom  of  God 
shall  come  in  victorious  power. 


[Matt.  17:  1—13;  Mark  9:  2—13;  Luke  9 :  28—36.] 

The  next  recorded  incident  in  our  history  occurred 
about  a  week  after  the  above  conversation  on  a  moun¬ 
tain,  probably  in  the  region  of  Cesarea  Phillippi. 

Jesus  had  retired  to  the  mountain  with  Peter, 
James,  and  John,  for  private  devotion.  A  mountain- 
solitude  was  his  favorite  resort.  The  grandeur  and 
silence  of  such  a  place  were  most  concordant  with  his 
exalted  thoughts  and  holy  feelings.  Here  could  he 


336  THE  TRANSFIGURATION.  [PERIOD 

most  freely  commune  with  the  Father.  Who  knows 
what  scenes  of  holy  converse  were  witnessed  by  the 
mountains  to  which  Christ  resorted  ?  The  three  dis¬ 
ciples  named  above  were  permitted  to  witness  one  of 
those  scenes,  and  testify  of  its  splendor.  One  glance 
was  given  them  into  the  otherwise  unseen  glory  that 
belonged  to  the  incarnate  Son  of  God. 

The  three,  destitute  of  the  ardent  devotion  of  their 
Master,  fell  asleep  w^hile  he  continued  his  prayer. 
Aroused  at  length  they  saw,  as  in  a  dream,  the  face 
of  their  Master  radiant,  and  his  very  garments  glis¬ 
tening  white  as  the  light.  Anon,  two  men  stood  by 
him  conversing  upon  the  subject  of  w^hich  Jesus  had 
recently  spoken  to  them,  his  sufferings  and  death, 
which  were  ere  long  to  be  accomplished  at  Jerusalem. 

The  surprised  and  bewildered  spectators  gazed  in 
silence  until  the  men,  whom  they  learn  to  be  Moses 
and  Elias,  departed.  Peter  half  unconsciously  ex¬ 
claimed  .upon  their  departure,  ^‘Master,  it  is  good  for 
us  to  be  here,”  and  proposed  to  erect  tabernacles  for 
Christ,  Moses,  and  Elias. 

While  he  spake,  a  new  surprise  appeared.  A 
bright  cloud”  settled  down  and  enveloped  them; 
and  out  of  the  cloud  broke  the  voice  of  the  Unseen, 
saying,  “This  is  my  beloved  Son,  hear  him.” 

At  sound  of  this  voice,  the  already  trembling  dis¬ 
ciples  fell  prostrate,  and  heard  and  saw  no  more,  till 
Jesus  approached  and  said,  “Be  not  afraid.”  En¬ 
couraged  thus,  they  “  lifted  up  their  eyes ;”  the  cloud 


V.] 


THE  TRANSFIGURATION. 


837 


and  the  voice  had  passed,  and  they  were  again  alone 
in  the  silent  night  with  their  divine  Lord. 

Thus  the  Father  with  an  audible  voice  testified  to 
these  disciples,  as  he  had  before  done  to  the  Baptist, 
that  Jesus  was  peculiarly  his  Son.  This  testimony 
had  great  weight  with  the  hearers.  But  as  Jesus  de¬ 
sired  that  his  divinity  should  be  known  as  yet  only 
by  those  who  possessed  susceptibility  of  soul  to  appre¬ 
ciate  him,  as  they  descended  the  next  day  from  the 
mountain,  he  charged  them  to  “  tell  no  man  what  they 
had  seen’'  and  heard,  until  after  he  should  rise  from 
the  dead.  The  narrative  states,  that  this  injunction 
was  strictly  obeyed,  though  they  could  not  at  this 
time  conceive  “  what  the  rising  from  the  dead  should 
mean.” 

Another  diflSculty  existing  in  the  minds  of  these 
disciples  was  at  that  time  proposed  to  Christ  for  so¬ 
lution.  How  is  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus  to  be  recon¬ 
ciled  with  the  fact  that  Elias  must  first  come  ?”  To 
this  it  was  replied,  that  the  prediction  of  the  coming 
of  Elias  was  already  fulfilled.  ‘‘  Elias  has  come  al¬ 
ready”  (in  the  person  of  John  the  Baptist),  ‘‘and 
they  know  him  not,  but  have  done  unto  him  what¬ 
soever  they  listed;  likewise  shall  also  the  Son  of 
Man  suffer  of  them.”  These  disciples  had  not  before 
understood  that  John  answered  the  prediction  of 
Malachi,  “  Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet, 
before  the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of 
the  Lord.” 


29 


THE  DEMONIAC  HEALED. 


o  o 
OfJ 


8 


[period 


This  prediction  was  probably  suggested  by  the 
appearance  of  Elijah  at  the  transfiguration,  and  their 
enquiry  respecting  it  answered  as  above. 


[Matt.  17;  14^21;  Mark  9 :  14—29;  Luke  9 :  37—13.] 

When  Jesus  and  the  three  that  were  with  him  came 
down  to  the  other  disciples,  they  found  there  a  great 
multitude  of  people  in  a  state  of  high  excitement. 
The  cause  of  the  gathering  and  the  agitation  was  the 
presence  of  a  father  with  a  demoniacal  son,  whom  the 
disciples  were  unable  to  cure.  The  failure  of  the 
disciples  encouraged  certain  scribes  present,  and  at 
the  moment  of  Christ’s  approach  they  were  pressing 
the  disciples  with  severe  questions.  The  sudden  ap¬ 
pearance  of  Jesus  at  this  juncture  relieved  the  disci¬ 
ples  and  turned  the  attention  of  the  crowd  to  him. 
Around  him  they  all  spontaneously  gathered,  some 
anticipating  a  miracle,  and  others  desiring  to  see  a 
failure  on  the  part  of  the  Saviour.  The  anxious  fa¬ 
ther  humbly  and  earnestly  entreated  Jesus,  if  he 
could,  to  heal  his  son.  The  manner  in  which  he 
speaks  indicated  some  doubt  in  his  mind  relative  to 
the  ability  of  Christ.  Hence,  the  latter  answered 
with  somewhat,  of  rebuke,  ‘‘If  thou  canst  believe,  all 
things  are  possible.”  The  danger  lies  not  on  the  side 
of  Christ,  but  on  that  of  the  other  party :  is  there 
fjiith  adequate  to  such  a  work?  Humbled  and  anx¬ 
ious  the  father  cried  out,  with  tears.  Lord,  I  believe ; 
help  thou  mine  unbelief.”  This  was  the  feeling  Christ 


V.] 


k 

THE  DExMOiMAC  HEALED.  ood 

desired.  Meantime  the  multitude  came  running  to¬ 
gether,”  with  increasing  excitement ;  but  suddenly 
they  were  silenced,  and  heard  with  breathless  interest 
that  calm  voice  of  power  saying,  Thou  dumb  and 
deaf  spirit,  I  charge  thee  come  out  of  him!”  With 
a  shriek  the  demoniac  fell  and  struggled  in  a  fierce 
paroxysm.  That  past,  “  he  was  as  one  dead ;  but 
Jesus  took  him  by  the  hand,  and  he  arose.” 

This  case  was  peculiarly  severe  ;  it  was  also  of 
long  standing,  even  “from  a  child”  he  had  been  sub¬ 
ject  to  paroxysms.  Hence,  for  effecting  a  miraculous 
cure,  a  very  strong  exercise  of  faith  was  needed. 
The  disciples  could  not  cast  out  this  spirit  for  want 
of  such  a  faith,  as  Christ  afterwards  told  them. 
“  This  kind  goethnot  out  but  by  prayer  and  fasting.” 
They  needed  to  increase  their  faith  by  acts  of  devo¬ 
tion  and  quiet  meditation.  Had  you  but  faith  enough, 
says  Christ,  you  might  by  a  word  remove  this  moun¬ 
tain  from  its  place.  Of  course  this  remark  applied 
only  to  those  who  were  the  chosen  organs  of  the  spirit, 
commissioned  to  work  miracles  in  confirmation  of  the 
gospel. 

[Matt.  17  :  22,  23;  Mark  9  :  30 — 32  ;  Luke  9  :  43 — 45.] 

Leaving  the  region  of  Cesarea  Phillippi,  Jesus 
with  his  company  again  returned  as  privately  as  pos¬ 
sible  into  Galilee,  continuing  the  instruction  and 
training  of  his  disciples. 

In  his  remarks,  he  now  referred  frequently  to  his 


340  TRIBUTE-MONEY.  [PERIOD 

approaching  suflferings ;  and  did  it  in  such  a  manner 
as  deeply  to  affect  his  followers,  although  they  could 
not  understand  the  true  import  of  his  prediction. 
They  saw,  as  through  a  mist,  a  grim  conflict  advan¬ 
cing,  but  ^‘feared  to  ask  him  respecting  it.”  The 
thought  of  his  death,  though  coupled  by  him  at  this 
time  with  the  promise  of  a  resurrection  within  three 
days,  came  over  them  with  chilling  severity,  and  they 
but  shuddered  in  silence,  afraid  to  know  the  particulars 
of  what  seemed  to  them  monstrous,  if  not  impossible. 

[Matt.  17:  24—27;  Mark  9 :  33.] 

A  curious  and  signiflcant  incident  occurred  upon 
their  arrival  at  Capernaum,  where  we  next  find  our 
little  company  of  Galileans.  For  some  reason,  per¬ 
haps  on  account  of  the  attendant  throng,  Jesus  and 
some  of  the  disciples  had  not  paid  the  tribute-money 
which  was  expected  every  spring  from  every  loyal  * 
Jew,  for  the  temple-service. 

Upon  their  return  to  Capernaum,  the  collector 
asked  Peter  whether  or  not  his  Master  would  pay  it. 
Peter  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  immediately 
went  to  the  house  where  Jesus  was,  to  ask  him  about 
it.  Knowing  his  errand,  Jesus  anticipated  his  ques¬ 
tions  by  asking  him  whether  the  kings  of  the  earth 
take  tribute  from  their  own  children  or  from  stran¬ 
gers?  ”  ^‘From  strangers,”  replies  Peter.  Then,” 
says  Jesus,  ‘‘are  the  children  free.”  That  is,  Christ 
being  head  of  the  theocracy,  and  “  greater  than  the 


V.] 


TRIBUTE-MONEY. 


341 


temple/'  was  under  no  obligation  to  contribute  to  the 
support  of  that  service  which  he  was  himself  to  super¬ 
sede.  Had  he  been  recognized  as  Messiah,  he  would 
not  have  been  called  upon  for  tribute.  Nevertheless, 
says  he,  lest  we  should  offend  them,  go  thou  to  the 
sea,  and  cast  an  hook,  and  take  up  the  fish  that  first 
cometh  up :  and  when  thou  hast  opened  his  mouth,  thou 
shalt  find  a  piece  of  money ;  that  take  and  give  unto 
them  for  me  and  thee."  Christ  would  not  insist  upon 
his  abstract  rights,  when  his  motives  might  be  im¬ 
pugned,  and  evil  result.  He  would  encourage  Peter 
to  ‘^fulfil  all  righteousness,"  and  though  pennyless, 
go  forward,  and  trust  Providence  to  furnish  the  stater 
required  for  tribute. 

[Matt.  18:  1 — 9;  Mark  9  :  33 — 48;  Luke  9  :  46 — 50.  J 

Despite  the  rich  instructions  given  by  Christ  to 
his  disciples,  they  still  had  imperfect  views  of  his  plan, 
and  cherished  selfish  and  foolish  dreams  of  aggran¬ 
dizement  in  his  kingdom.  Their  success  while  on  their 
trial-mission,  and  their  recent  failure  in  the  case  of 
the  demoniac,  probably  led  them  to  dispute  as  they 
came  to  Capernaum,  respecting  their  comparative 
power  and  efficiency,  and  the  relative  positions  they 
should  occupy  in  Messiah’s  kingdom. 

Christ  took  occasion  soon  after  to  question  them 
respecting  this  childish  dispute,  and  to  expose  the  in¬ 
consistency  of  such  a  spirit,  and  its  hostility  to  the 
true  kingdom  of  God.  Taking  a  little  child  he  pre- 


842  WHO  SHALL  BE  GREATEST.  [PERIOD 

sented  it  to  them  as  the  model  of  a  true  disciple ;  tel¬ 
ling  them  that  whoever  should  be  most  humble  and 
unassuming,  most  child-like,  should  be  greatest  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.”  Moreover  their  deeds  were 
meritorious  only  when  prompted  by  love  to  him. 
Hence,  that  one  is  my  friend,  says  Christ,  who,  for 
my  sake,  acts  the  part  of  servant  to  a  child.  Who¬ 
so  shall  receive  one  such  little  child  in  my  name,  re- 
ceiveth  me  ;  and  whosoever  shall  receive  me,  receiveth 
not  me,  but  him  that  sent  me.”  Whoever,  from  faith 
in  Christ  and  love  to  him,  performs  deeds  of  kindness 
to  his  children,  shall  in  return  receive  God  as  his 
portion.  And  the  least  (humblest)  of  Christ’s  disci¬ 
ples  shall  be  greatest  in  his  kingdom. 

The  stress  laid  by  Christ  upon  doing  things  in  his 
name,  probably  led  John  to  suggest  at  this  time  an 
incident  which  had  recently  occurred.  ‘‘  Master,  we 
saw  one  casting  out  devils  in  thy  name,  and  we  for¬ 
bade  him,  because  he  folio weth  not  with  us.” 

The  success  of  the  twelve  had  induced  others  to 
attempt  the  expulsion  of  evil  spirits  in  Christ’s  name. 
This  displeased  the  disciples,  and  they  protested 
against  it.  But  the  question  now  arose  in  John’s 
mind,  Avhether  they  had  done  right.  Jesus  told  him 
not  to  forbid  such  an  one.  The  success  of  his  ejQforts 
proved  that  God  was  with  him.  ‘‘  He  that  is  not 
against  us  is  for  us.”  If  not  a  true  disciple  as  yet, 
he  may  become  one.  Let  no  one  be  discouraged 
whose  aim  and  tendencies  are  favorable.  Be  it  that 


V.] 


OFFENCE  AND  TRESPASS. 


343 


he  follows  not  with  us,  belongs  not  to  our  society  or 
communion,  there  is  no  man  which  shall  do  a  mira¬ 
cle  in  my  name  that  can  lightly  speak  evil  of  me.” 
Is  the  man’s  heart  in  harmony  with  Christ,  and  is  he 
working  for  the  same  great  ends  for  which  we  should 
work  ?  If  so,  forbid  him  not.  Christ  sanctions  no 
sectarianism ;  nor  does  he  despise  those  who  have  not 
yet  attained  to  the  position  of  perfect  men  in  him. 
Hence,  says  he,  it  were  better  for  him  who  shall  offend 
one  of  these  little  ones  that  believe  in  me  (discourage 
a  trembling  saint,  or  seeker  after  truth)  that  a  mill¬ 
stone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  he  were  cast 
into  the  sea.”  Offences  will  come  (to  the  children  of 
Christ),  ^^but  wo  to  that  man  by  whom  the  offence 
cometh  !  ”  Hence  he  proceeds  to  exhort  them  to 
guard  against  suffering  offences.  Better  cut  off  a  hand, 
pluck  out  an  eye,  and  enter  heaven  halt  and  maimed, 
than  be  cast  whole  and  sound  into  ‘Hhe  fire  that 
never  shall  be  quenched,  where  their  worm  dieth  not ;  ” 
so  grievous  a  sin  is  it  to  cause  any  child  of  God  to  go 
astray. 


[Matt.  18:  15—17.] 

In  the  same  connection,  Christ  gave  that  beauti¬ 
ful,  just,  and  unalterable  law  for  the  settlement  of 
differences  between  Christian  brethren.  If  a  brother 
trespass  against  thee,  go  to  him  alone,  and,  if  possi¬ 
ble,  bring  him  to  terms.  If  this  fail,  take  one  or  two 
witnesses ;  if  he  is  still  obstinate,  tell  it  to  the  church ; 


344  OFFENCE  AND  TRESPASS.  [PERIOD 

and  if  he  will  not  listen  to  the  church,  count  him  a 
heathen. 

[Matt.  18:  21 — 35.]  ^ 

Hereupon  Peter  enquired  respecting  the  law  of 
forgiveness.  How  often  must  I  forgive  an  offending 
brother,  ‘‘seven  times?’'  Jesus  answered,  “Not 
seven,  but  seventy  times  seven.”  The  duty  of  for¬ 
giveness  was  then  illustrated  by  the  parable  of  the 
servant  who  was  forgiven  by  his  Lord ;  but  who  after¬ 
ward  cruelly  treated  a  fellow-servant  who  was  unable 
to  pay  him  a  slight  due. 

The  import  of  the  parable  is,  that  any  injury  a 
brother  may  do  to  us  is  slight  and  trifling  compared 
with  our  sins  against  God,  and  hence  we  ought  to  be. 
ever  ready  to  do  to  an  oflTending  brother  as  God  does 
to  us,  forgive  his  trespasses. 

The  man  in  the  parable  recalled  his  pardon  when 
he  learned  the  implacable  character  of  the  servant, 
and  “  delivered  him  to  the  tormentors  till  he  should 
pay  the  debt.”  “So  also  shall  my  heavenly  Father 
do  unto  you,  if  ye  from  your  hearts  forgive  not  every 
one  his  brother  their  trespasses.” 

[Luke  10:  1 — 16;  Matt.  10:  16 — 42;  Matt.  11:  20 — 24.] 

About  half  of  the  last  year  of  Christ’s  public 
ministry  had  now  passed.  The  month  of  October  had 
arrived,  and  he  determined  to  attend  the  feast  of  tab¬ 
ernacles  at  Jerusalem,  and  seek  an  opportunity  to 


V.]  THE  SEVENTY  SENT  OUT.  345 

confirm  the  faith  of  those  who  had  been  inclined  to 
him  in  Judea.  He  was  aware  that  his  ministry  w'ould 
terminate  the  next  spring,  and  that  what  was  to  be 
done  before  his  death  must  be  done  quickly.  As  he 
looked  abroad  over  the  field  of  his  labors,  and  of  the 
world,  he  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  vast  amount 
of  effort  that  would  be  needed  to  evangelize  such  a 
field.  In  beautiful  and  expressive  language,  he  said 
to  his  disciples,  The  harvest  truly  is  great,  but  the 
laborers  are  few.” 

In  order  to  make  his  remaining  efforts  more  effi¬ 
cient,  he  determined  to  send  before  him  a  number  of 
heralds,  who  should,  as  the  twelve  had  done,  proclaim 
the  approach  of  the  Messianic  kingdom,  and  confirm 
their  testimony  by  miracles. 

Seventy  of  the  more  reliable  of  his  followers  were 
now  commissioned  and  sent  out.  The  number  seventy 
was  significant  amongst  the  Hebrews,  and  Christ  may 
have  fixed  upon  it  on  that  account. 

The  instructions  given  to  these  licentiates  are  not 
clearly  distinguished  by  the  Evangelists  from  those 
given  to  the  twelve  on  a  similar  occasion.  Matthew 
seems  to  have  blended  the  two  together  in  his  account 
of  the  sending  out  of  the  latter.  In  general  the  pur¬ 
port  of  their  commission  is  the  same.  But  as  the 
hostility  to  Christ  and  his  followers  was  increas¬ 
ing,  it  seems  more  consistent  to  refer  what  is  said  re¬ 
specting  opposition  and  persecution  mostly  to  this 
occasion. 


346  THE  SEVENTY  SENT  OUT.  [PERIOD 

The  seventy,  like  the  twelve,  w^ere  to  go  without 
money  or  provisions,  relying  upon  the  generosity  of 
those  to  whom  they  should  preach  to  supply  their  wants. 
They  were  to  make  the  same  proclamation,  and  con¬ 
firm  their  commission  by  similar  deeds.  When  they 
entered  a  city,  they  were  to  stop  wherever  an  invita¬ 
tion  was  given,  and  there  abide,  not  wandering  about 
from  house  to  house.  If  any  city  refused  them  hos¬ 
pitality,  they  should  wipe  off  the  dust  of  their  feet,  as 
a  testimony  against  it,  and  go  to  another. 

When  arraigned  and  persecuted,  they  should  feel  nc 
anxiety  respecting  their  defence,  for,  says  Christ,  “  it 
shall  be  given  you  in  that  same  hour  what  ye  shall  speak ; 
for  it  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  spirit  of  your 
Father  which  speaketh'in  you.”  Persecution  they 
must  expect.  Christ  came  not  to  bring  peace  to 
those  who  remain  in  sin.  His  gospel  will  excite  ha¬ 
tred  and  revenge.  The  irreligious  will  persecute  unto 
death  even  their  own  relatives,  parents,  children,  and 
companions,  who  may  embrace  Christianity.  Hence, 
he  forewarns  the  seventy,  and  through  them  all  true 
disciples,  that  they  must  be  ready  to  suffer  for  his 
sake,  or  they  can  not  be  his.  Whoever  will  not  bear 
the  cross  with  him  can  not  share  in  his  triumph  and 
kingdom. 

But  there  was  one  great  encouragement  to  offset 
against  this.  Though  going  forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst 
of  wolves,  the  Shepherd’s  eye  would  be  ever  upon  them. 
That  particular  Providence  which  suffers  not  a  spar- 


V.]  DOOM  OF  THE  LAKE  CITIES.  J17 

row  to  fall  unmarked  would  number  the  very  hairs 
of  their  heads,  and  guard  them  with  a  Father’s  care. 
Therefore,  says  he,  fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body, 
and  can  do  no  more ;  fear  only  him  who  can  destroy 
both  soul  and  body  in  hell. 

The  persecutors  shall  be  brought  to  account ;  and 
all  to  whom  they  preach  shall  be  judged  according  to 
the  reception  they  give  to  Christ’s  ambassadors,  and 
the  truth  which  they  preach. 

Having  thus  commissioned  the  seventy,  Christ 
prepared  for  his  final  departure  from  Galilee.  Tu¬ 
multuous  and  sorrowful  thoughts  swelled  his  bosom  as 
he  cast  his  eye  over  the  lake  of  Galilee,  to  the  cities 
around  it,  where  he  had  done  so  many  mighty  works. 
Here  he  had  expended  most  of  his  ministry,  and 
though  some  few  hundreds  had  believed,  the  results 
were  by  no  means  proportioned  to  the  expenditure. 
Glancing  prophetically  forward,  he  contemplates  the 
desolation  which  should  ere  long  come  upon  these 
cities  for  their  wickedness,  and  utters  that  bodeful 
doom  which  time  has  seen  fulfilled.  Wo  unto  thee, 
Chorazin,  wo  unto  thee,  Bethsaida !  and  thou,  Caper¬ 
naum,  which  art  exalted  to  heaven,  shall  be  thrust 
down  to  hell !  for  if  the  mighty  works  had  been  done 
in  Tyre  and  Sidon  which  have  been  done  in  you,  they 
had  a  great  while  ago  repented,  sitting  in  sack-cloth 
and  ashes.  But  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre 
and  Sidon  at  the  judgment  than  for  you.”  The  vain 
search  of  travellers  after  even  the  ruins  of  these  cities 


CHRIST  LEAVES  GALILEE. 


848 


[PERIOD 


tells  US  how  low  they  have  sunk,  and  how  true  was  the 
Saviour’s  prediction. 


[John  7 :  2—10;  Luke  9 ;  51—66  ;  Luke  18  :  11—19.] 

The  relatives  of  Jesus,  who  were  as  yet  sceptical 
respecting  his  Messiahship,  were  now  preparing  to  at¬ 
tend  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  and  urged  Jesus  to  ac¬ 
company  them  and  exhibit  his  skill  and  power  before 
the  whole  nation.  Why,  said  they,  should  you  re¬ 
main  in  this  obscure  region  ?  If  you  are  what  you 
pretend,  and  if  you  expect  to  be  received  as  such,  show 
yourself  to  the  world. 

To  this  Jesus  replied  that  his  time  had  not  yet 
come.  They  could  go  up  to  the  feast  without  fear ; 
the  world  would  find  no  fault  with  them ;  but  he 
had  his  own  plans,  and  was  not  on  so  favorable  terms 
with  the  world.  He  bore  testimony  against  its  evil 
works,  and  hence  it  hated  him.  Although  he  would 
not  shrink  from  persecution,  he  would  not  needlessly 
push  himself  into  danger,  or  wantonly  provoke  per¬ 
secution. 

Hence,  after  the  departure  of  his  brethren,  he 
delayed  a  few  days  longer  in  Galilee.  He  knew  what 
awaited  him  in  Judea,  but  resolved  not  to  avoid  it. 

A  few  days  after  their  departure,  he  set  out  for 
Jerusalem  with  the  twelve,  taking  the  more  unusual 
route  through  Samaria. 

Here  end  the  labors  and  sojourn  of  Christ  in 
Galilee. 


V.] 


INCIDENTS  IN  SAMARIA. 


349 


One  or  two  incidents  occurred  in  his  passage 
through  Samaria,  worthy  of  note. 

One  Samaritan  village  refused  him  lodging  and 
common  hospitality  because  he  was  going  to  attend 
the  Jewish  festival.  This  treatment  so  exasperated 
the  disciples  who  were  with  him,  that  they  desired  to 
call  down  fire  from  heaven  and  destroy  the  place. 
Christ,  however,  in  his  characteristic  manner,  re¬ 
buked  them,  saying,  Ye  know  not  what  manner  of 
spirit  ye  are  of ;  for  the  Son  of  Man  is  not  come  to 
destroy  men’s  lives,  but  to  save  them.”  With  this 
reproof  he  passed  on  to  seek  shelter  elsewhere. 

Upon  approaching  another  village  of  Samaria 
they  were  accosted  by  ten  lepers,  who  ‘‘  stood  afar 
off,  and  lifted  up  their  voices,  and  said,  Jesus,  Mas¬ 
ter,  have  mercy  on  us  !  ”  To  their  entreaty  Jesus 
simply  replied,  “  Go,  show  yourselves  to  the  priests,” 
as  those  were  wont  to  do  who  were  cured  of  this 
disease,  in  order  to  get  a  certificate  of  the  cure. 
Encouraged  by  his  direction  to  hope  for  a  cure,  the 
ten  immediately  set  out  for  the  temple,  and  soon 
perceived  that  their  disease  had  passed  away.  One 
of  them,  who  was  a  Samaritan,  immediately  turned 
back  to  thank  the  Saviour  and  glorify  God  for  his 
goodness. 

The  gratitude  of  this  Samaritan,  in  contrast 
Avith  the  indifference  of  the  others,  who  Avere 
probably  Jews,  was  used  by  Christ  to  counteract 
the  increased  prejudice  of  the  disciples  against  the 

30 


350 


INCIDENTS  IN  SAMARIA. 


Samaritans,  on  account  of  the  inhospitable  treat¬ 
ment  they  had  received  at  the  other  village.  “  The 
ten  were  cleansed,  but  where  are  the  nine  ?  There 
are  not  found  that  returned  to  give  glory  to  God, 
save  this  stranger,” 


PERIOD  VI. 


FROM  THE  LAST  FEAST  OF  TABERNACLES 
TO  THE  TRIUMPHAL  ENTRY  INTO  JERU¬ 
SALEM. 


[John  7:  11—53;  8:  1.] 

Many  enquiries  were  made  for  Christ,  at  Jerusa¬ 
lem,  by  those  who  came  to  attend  the  feast.  He  was 
now  the  great  object  of  interest  for  the  nation.  Cu¬ 
riosity  and  vulgar  wonder  led  many  to  desire  to  see 
him.  The  indignant  Pharisees  heard  him  spoken  of 
on  all  sides. 

Suddenly,  about  the  fourth  day  of  the  feast,  the 
voice  of  Jesus  was  heard  in  the  temple  in  public  ad- 
di  •ess.  He  had  come  in  a  manner  calculated  not  to 
attract  attention ;  yet  he  would  not  shrink  from 
his  enemies,  but  took  a  position  adapted  to  elicit  their 
hostility.  The  auditors  were  surprised  at  his  mas¬ 
terly  exposition  of  scripture  ;  and  even  the  unbelieving 
wondered  how  one  who  had  not  been  educated  in  the 
schools  could  exhibit  such  knowledge. 

In  answer  to  their  surprise  and  enquiries,  Jesus 


o52  JESUS  TEACHES  IN  THE  TEMPLE.  [PERIOD 

told  them  that  his  doctrine  was  not  of  human  origin. 
He  uttered  not  his  own  human  wisdom,  but  the  di¬ 
vine  revelation  of  God ;  as  any  one  would  discover 
who  would  obey  his  precepts.* 

As  soon  as  the  Pharisees  learned  that  Jesus  was 
present,  and  that  the  people  were  disposed  to  regard 
him  as  the  great  prophet,  if  not  the  very  Messiah  that 
was  promised  in  prophecy,  they  commissioned  officers 
to  arrest  him  on  the  old  charge  of  sabbath-breaking. 

These  officers  mingled  in  the  congregation  to  which 
Jesus  discoursed,  and  listened  to  him,  keeping  their 
design  a  secret.  Aware  of  their  presence  and  aims, 
he  took  occasion  to  expose  their  folly  and  wicked¬ 
ness. 

Judge  not,  says  he,  according  to  the  appearance, 
but  judge  righteous  judgment.  From  pretended  zeal 
for  the  law  of  Moses  ye  seek  to  kill  me,  for  healing 
upon  the  sabbath,  while  yourselves  perform  circum¬ 
cision  upon  that  day.  Some  of  the  hearers  sneeringly 
enquire,  who  seeks  to  kill  him?  others,  aware  of  the 
movement  of  the  Pharisees,  wonder  whether  the  rulers 
indeed  know  that  this  is  the  Christ ;  feeling  for  the 
moment  that  his  boldness  and  his  wisdom  prove  him 
divine.  But  they  have  no  well  grounded  faith,  and 
soon  fall  back  upon  their  prejudices.  After  all  it 

*  The  order  of  events  and  discourses  is  somewhat  confused  and 
uncertain  in  this  period ;  and  our  arrangement  of  materials  must 
be  somewhat  arbitrary.  The  Evangelists  evidently  did  not  record 
tiie  discourses  of  Christ  precisely  in  the  order  of  their  delivery. 


VI.]  JESUS  TEACHES  IN  THE  TEMPLE.  353 

can  not  be  Messiah,  for  we  know  this  man  whence 
he  is ;  but  when  Christ  cometh  no  man  knoweth  whence 
he  is;”  supposing  that  Messiah  would  suddenly  ap¬ 
pear  in  some  astounding  manner  which  would  preclude 
all  doubt  of  his  divinity. 

Aware  of  these  cavils,  Jesus  exclaims,  Ye  both 
know  me,  and  ye  know  whence  I  am ;  ”  yet  ye  know 
not  him  that  sent  me.  They  knew  his  human  origin, 
but  not  his  divine.  In  their  carnal  pride  they  thought 
they  knew  him,  yet,  in  reality,  they  knew  him  not. 

Here  an  effort  was  made  to  arrest  Jesus,  but  the 
officers  were  so  deeply  impressed  by  his  discourse,  and 
the  people  were  so  generally  in  his  favor,  that  no  one 
had  courage  to  lay  a  hand  upon  him.  At  the  same 
time,  by  his  calm  demeanor  defying  their  designs, 
he  tells  them  that  for  a  time  he  shall  be  with  them ; 
but  that  a  time  is  coming  when  they  shall  seek  him 
in  vain,  and  be  unable  to  come  to  the  place  where  he 
shall  be.  This  they  stupidly  interpret  to  be  a  threat 
that  he  will  leave  Jewry  and  teach  the  Gentiles. 
Thus  they  fail  to  understand  the  warning  given  them 
of  a  time  when  in  trouble  they  should  long  in  vain  for 
his  deliverance. 

Such  discourses  were  delivered  day  after  day 
during  the  remainder  of  the  feast.  It  was  the  last 

o-reat  festival  of  the  nation  which  the  Saviour  was  to 

» 

)bs'  rve  with  them,  and  his  anxiety  seemed  constantly 
.i.reasing  to  lead  them  to  receive  him  as  their  spirit¬ 
ual  life.  Hence,  he  continued  his  discourses  present- 

30* 


JESUS  TEACHES  IN  THE  TEMPLE.  [PERIOD 

ing  liimself  in  various  attitudes,  as  the  light  of  the 
world,  the  object  of  highest  value. 

On  the  eighth,  or  last  day  of  the  feast,  he  stood 
and  cried,”  saying,  ‘^If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
unto  me  and  drink.”  Faith  in  me  shall  be  to  you  a 
fountain  of  life.  My  indwelling  spirit  shall  ever 
quench  the  thirst  of  the  soul  that  possesses  it. 

The  feast  ended,  and  still  he  went  on  publicly  dis¬ 
coursing.  Some  of  the  people  declared  that  he  must 
be  the  Christ ;  others  declared  that  the  Christ  must 
come  out  of  Bethlehem,  whereas  this  man  was  from 
Galilee ;  and  thus  they  disputed  and  divided,  and  no 
one  ventured  to  seize  him. 

Vexed  that  he  should  thus  proceed,  the  Pharisees 
angrily  demanded  of  the  officers  why  they  have  not 
arrested  him  ?  They  can  only  reply  that,  never 
man  spake  like  this  man.”  Hereupon  they  are  still 
more  enraged  at  what  they  call  the  stupidity  of  the 
ignorant.  ^‘Have  any  of  the  rulers  or  Pharisees  be¬ 
lieved  on  him?”  This  ignorant  people  are  cursed  ! 
But  even  of  their  own  number  there  are  some  who 
cherish  a  secret  faith  in  him.  Such  is  Nicodemus, 
who  now  enquires  whether  their  law  judges  any  one 
without  a  fair  trial?  This  turns  suspicion  upon  him, 
and  the  sneering  question  follows,  art  thou  also  of 
Galilee?”  Two  parties  seem  to  be  forming  in  the 
Sanhedrim,  and  without  further  action  at  present^ 
they  break  up  in  dissatisfaction. 


THE  ADULTllESS. 


355 


VI.] 

[John.  8:  2—11.] 

On  the  evening  of  the  last  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus 
retired  to  the  Mount  of  Olives  to  spend  the  night. 
Keturning  to  the  temple  early  in  the  morning,  a  crowd 
of  people  again  collected  to  hear  him.  Meantime  his 
enemies,  aware  that  they  must  involve  him  in  some 
deeper  snare,  and  secure  more  popular  accusations  in 
order  to  turn  the  people  against  him  before  they  could 
crush  him,  came  to  him  with  an  artifice  by  which  they 
hoped,  from  his  known  mildness  toward  sinners,  to  get 
him  to  take  a  stand  against  the  law  of  Moses. 
Bringing  to  him  a  woman  taken  in  adultery,  they  tell 
him  that  Moses  commands  that  such  persons  be  stoned : 
‘‘  but  what  sayest  thou  ? 

Unwilling  to  participate  in  civil  or  judicial  affairs, 
which  he  ever  declared  to  be  out  of  his  province, 
Christ  at  first  paid  no  attention  to  them.  But  when 
they  continued  to  insist  upon  an  expression  of  his 
sentiments  respecting  the  case,  he  at  last  rose  up  be¬ 
fore  them,  and  said,  He  that  is  without  sin  among 
you,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone  at  her.” 

This  was  no  legal  decision  of  her  deserts;  but  an^ 
appeal  on  the  moral  bearing  of  the  case  to  the  con¬ 
sciences  of  her  accusers,  which  might  both  incline 
them  to  leniency,  and  lead  them  to  feel  their  own  need 
of  clemency.  The  effect  was  electrical ;  the  haughty 
and  expectant  countenances  fell ;  no  other  word  was 
spoken  by  the  Saviour,  who  stooped  down  and  seemed 
to  be  iurlifferently  writing  upon  the  ground.  One 


856  CHRIST  ASSERTS  HIS  DIVINITY.  [PERIOD 

after  another  the  conscience-smitten  and  crest-fallen 
accusers  of  the  woman  disappeared,  till  she  was  left 
alone  with  Jesus,  in  the  midst  of  the  congregation. 
Admonishing  her  to  sin  no  more,  he  sent  her  away, 
refusing  to  pass  legal  sentence  against  her. 


[John.  8:  12 — 59.] 

Resuming  his  discourse  to  the  people,  Jesus  pro¬ 
claims  himself  to  them  as  the  light  of  the  world,  the 
light  of  life,  by  which  alone  the  soul  can  be  raised 
from  darkness  and  death.  Here  he  is  interrupted 
by  some  Pharisees  present,  who  assert  that  his  preten¬ 
sions  are  inadmissible  because  he  bears  witness  for 
himself. 

To.  this  he  replies,  that  the  testimony  which  he 
offers  in  his  own  behalf  is  true,  as  it  results  from  a 
higher  than  human  consciousness,  which  they  as  mere 
men  can  not  understand.  Moreover  he  has  other  tes¬ 
timony.  The  Father  not  only  grants  him  an  inward 
assurance  of  his  divinity,  but  also  objectively  and 
independently  testifies  for  him  in  the  miraculous  works 
by  which  he  confirms  his  mission.  Incapable,  how¬ 
ever,  of  appreciating  these  remarks,  the  Pharisees  stu¬ 
pidly  ask,  ^AVhere  is  thy  Father?”  They  can  ac¬ 
cept  no  witness  unless  he  be  present  to  the  carnal  eye. 
Jesus  replies,  ‘‘Ye  neither  know  me  nor  my  Father: 
if  ye  had  known  me,  ye  should  have  known  my  Father 
also.”  To  know  Christ  is  to  know  God;  the  Father 
lives  through  the  Son. 


VT.]  CHRIST  ASSERTS  HIS  DIVINITY.  357 

This  was  an  evident  assumption  of  divinity,  such 
as  they  accounted  blasphemj’' ;  but  so  profound  was 
the  impression  made  by  his  preaching,  that  they  dared 
not  lay  hands  upon  him.  Hence,  he  proceeds  again, 
with  evident  allusion  to  their  machinations,  to  tell 
them  that  the  time  is  coming  when  they  shall  seek  him 
as  a  deliverer,  but  shall  not  find  him.  He  shall  re¬ 
turn  above  from  whence  he  came.  But  they  of  the 
earth,  earthy,  shall  die  in  their  sins,  and  go  down¬ 
ward. 

And,  he  adds,  when  ye  have  lifted  up  the  Son 
of  Man,”  after  ye  shall  crucify  me,  or  possibly  after 
you  have  caused  me  to  ascend  up  from  whence  I  came, 
‘Hhen  shall  ye  know  that  I  am  he,”  the  Son  of  God. 
When  ye  shall  see  my  work  extending  by  means  of 
its  inherent  life,  after  my  death  and  ascension,  then 
shall  those  of  you  who  are  susceptible  of  spiritual  im¬ 
pressions  be  convinced  of  my  divinity. 

With  such  bold  and  convincing  arguments,  Christ 
silenced  his  learned  opposers,  and  attained  the  confi¬ 
dence  of  the  common  people,  who  had  never  before 
seen  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  put  down  by  one  who 
seemed  to  be  of  their  own  rank.  But  amongst  the 
professed  converts  of  this  period  were  many  who  had 
no  adequate  views  of  Christian  discipleship,  and  were 
liable  to  be  led  astray. 

Hence,  Christ  next  directed  his  remarks  to  such 
persons,  telling  them  that  they  could  only  be  truly  his 
disciples  by  a  steadfast  adherence  to  his  word.  Only 


358  FREEDOM  AND  LIFE  THROUGH  CHRIST.  [PERIOD 

by  continued  obedience  can  you  know  the  truth,  and 
attain  that  freedom  which  it  is  designed  to  impart. 

Freedom  was  the  boast  of  the  Hebrews,  and  the 
remark  of  Christ  that  they  should  attain  freedom 
through  .the  truth  at  once  aroused  their  pride,  and, 
though  conscious  of  political  subjection  to  the  Romans, 
they  haughtily  reply,  ‘‘  We  be  Abraham’s  seed,  and 
were  never  in  bondage.”  This  carnal  interpretation 
of  his  words  led  Jesus  more  fully  to  demonstrate  their 
spiritual  bondage,  in  contrast  with  that  inner  freedom 
communicated  by  the  Son  of  God  through  the 
truth. 

Though  members  of  the  Hebrew  theocracy  they 
were  servants  of  sin ;  though  lineal  Hebrews,  they 
were  not  spiritually  children  of  Abraham,  else  they 
would  not  seek  to  kill  one  for  telling  them  the  truth. 
Though  nominal  worshippers  of  Jehovah,  they  were 
not  the  children  of  God,  or  they  would  listen  to  God’s 
truth,  and  love  him  who  was  the  manifestation  of  God 
on  earth.  Unbelievers,  and  imbued  with  the  spirit 
,  of  murder,  they  could  be,  as  he  told  them,  only  the 
children  of  the  devil,  who  “  was  a  murderer  from  the 
beginning,”  and  the  ‘^father  of  lies.” 

This  called  forth  a  new  burst  of  indignation. 
Heaping  abuse  upon  Christ,  they  next  call  him  con¬ 
temptuously  Samaritan  and  demon.  To  this  he  calmly 
replies,  that  he  is  one  who  seeks  the  honor  of  God, 
and  does  not  seek  his  own  glory.  He  will  not  vindi¬ 
cate  himself  from  their  charges.  There  is  One  who 


YI  ]  FREEDO?.!  AND  LIFE  THROUGH  CHRIST.  359 

will  honor  him  ;  One  who  discriminates  character,  and 
who  will  bring  forth  judgment.  With  this  remark 
relative  to  their  abuse  and  persecution,  shoAving  them 
that  they  do  not  alarm  him,  he  proceeds  to  commend 
himself  to  them  as  the  life  of  the  world,  If  a  man 
keep  my  saying,  he  shall  never  see  death.”  They 
are  noAV  almost  mad  with  rage,  and  again  interrupt 
him,  crying  out,  Now  Ave  know  that  thou  hast  a 
devil !  Art  thou  greater  than  Abraham,  and  the 
prophets  who  are  dead  ?  Whom  makest  thou  thyself?” 
To  this  he  replies  in  the  same  equable  tone,  that  he 
makes  no  selfish  pretensions.  God  bestows  upon  him 
the  honor  which  he  enjoys,  that  God  Avhom  he  knoAvs 
and  obeys,  but  of  whom  they  are  ignorant.  Never 
were  such  cutting  sentences  so  calmly  and  elegantly 
delivered.  Every  word  is  fire  to  the  listeners.  And 
now  comes  the  climax,  when  Jesus  tells  them  that 
even  their  father  Abraham,  of  whom  they  boast,  re¬ 
joiced  to  see  his  day.  Thou  not  yet  fifty  years  old, 
and  hast  seen  Abraham!”  they  exclaim  in  a  parox¬ 
ysm  of  rage.  This  was  a  perversion  of  his  words, 
which  rather  imported  that  Abraham  looked  longingly 
forAvard,  desiring  to  see  his  advent.  But  Jesus  has 
no  mind  to  explain  and  soften  down  his  Avords.  He 
had  yet  told  them  but  part  of  the  truth,  and  he  pro¬ 
ceeds  in  the  same  deliberate  style,  ^Werily,  verily, 
before  Abraham  Avas,  I  am.”  This  Avas  beyond  their 
endurance  ;  their  wrath  broke  loose  in  mob-Adolence  ; 
and  they  determined  to  stone  him  to  death  on  the  spot. 


SCO  THE  MAN  AMONG  THIEVES.  [PERIOD 

But  Jesus  concealed  himself  from  their  sight,  passed 
through  their  midst,  and  escaped  unharmed. 

[Luke  10:  25 — 37. 

After  the  above  discourse,  Christ  left  the  temple 
and  probably  the  city,  but  he  still  remained  several 
days  in  the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem ;  as  appears  from 
the  fact  that  he  soon  after  this  healed  a  blind  man  in 
the  city.  Several  incidents  are  narrated  here,  the 
precise  time  and  place  of  which  are  not  mentioned. 

One  of  these  is  the  question  of  the  lawyer,  ‘‘  what 
shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  ?  ”  and  the  delivery 
of  the  parable,  setting  forth  the  nature  of  the  second 
table  of  the  law,  in  reply  to  his  question. 

The  lawyer  (one  of  a  class  who  restricted  them¬ 
selves  to  the  law,  discarding  the  traditions  upon  which 
the  Pharisees  generally  laid  so  much  stress)  admitted 
that  all  duty  was  summed  up  in  the  two  commands  of 
supreme  love  to  God,  and  equal  love  for  all  mankind, 
but  wanted  a  definition  of  ‘‘  neighbor,”  in  the  phrase 
‘^love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.” 

Thereupon  Christ  delivered  the  parable  of  the 
man  who  fell  among  thieves  ;  exhibiting  the  nature 
of  true  love  for  one’s  neighbor  by  the  sympathy  and 
conduct  of  the  Samaritan,  in  contrast  wdth  the  exclu¬ 
siveness  and  selfishness  of  the  Priest  and  Levite,  who 
rendered  the  unfortunate  man  no  assistance.  Accord¬ 
ing  to  the  parable,  the  love  which  the  law  requires  is 
all-pervading,  and  makes  no  distinctions  of  rank  or 


VI.] 


MARTHA  AND  MARY. 


361 


nation.  Every  human  being  who  may  need  our  as¬ 
sistance  should  be  regarded  as  our  neighbor. 

Luke  10:  38—42.]  . 

Amongst  the  families  who  welcomed  the  Saviour 
to  their  hospitality  in  the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem,  none 
gave  him  a  heartier  welcome  or  were  more  agreeable 
and  home-like  to  him  than  the  family  of  Martha  in 
Bethany.  The  two  sisters  and  brother,  of  whom 
Martha  seems  to  have  been  the  oldest,  and  perhaps 
to  have  owned  the  house,  w^ere  all  attached  to  Jesus. 
A  pleasant  and  instructive  anecdote  is  related  of  a 
visit  made  them  by  Christ  during  his  present  sojourn 
in  Judea. 

The  familiarity  pre-supposed  for  such  an  occur¬ 
rence  indicates  that  a  familiar  acquaintance  already 
existed  between  the  parties. 

Martha,  as  the  mistress  of  the  house,  was  unduly 
engrossed  in  her  domestic  affairs,  while  the  younger 
sister,  Mary,  took  her  place  at  Jesus’  feet,  anxious 
only  to  hear  him  discourse.  The  former  at  length 
made  complaint  to  Jesus  that  her  sister  left  her  ^^to 
serve  alone.”  Jesus  in  reply  uttered  that  mild  and 
famous  rebuke,  “Martha,  Martha,  thou  art  careful 
and  troubled  about  many  things:  but  one  thing  is 
needful ;  and  Mary  hath  chosen  that  good  part,  which 
shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her.” 

In  this  remark,  Christ  neither  encourages  an  idly 

contemplative  disposition,  nor  discourages  a  proper 

31 


362 


PRAYER. 


[PERIOD 


attention  to  our  worldly  interests.  But  he  beautifully 
inculcates  the  importance  of  making  all  our  procedure 
subservient  to  the  attainment  of  the  one  thins:  need¬ 
fal,”  entire  devotion  to  God. 

[Matt.  6:  7 — 15;  Matt.  18:  19,  20;  Luke  11 :  1 — 13.] 

Some  important  suggestions  on  prayer  were  given 
to  the  disciples  about  this  period  of  Christ’s  ministry. 
He  had  been  engaged  in  prayer  some  place  near  Je¬ 
rusalem.  When  he  ceased,  one  of  his  disciples  said 
unto  him,  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray  (give  us  a  form  of 
prayer)  as  John  also  taught  his  disciples.” 

In  an  age  of  liturgies  and  formalisms,  it  was  not 
strange  that  the  disciples  asked  for  forms  of  prayer. 
Christ  rather  designed  that  they  should  become  pos¬ 
sessed  of  such  a  spirit  as  would  spontaneously  develop 
its  own  forms  of  devotion. 

Hence  he  told  them  to  use  no  vain  repetitions  in 
prayer,  and  not  to  expect  to  be  heard  for  their  ‘^much 
speaking.”  It  is  not  the  words,  the  form,  but  the 
deep  yearning  of  the  soul  that  constitutes  true 
prayer. 

He  then  gives  them  a  brief  model,  not  so  much 
as  a  standing  form  of  devotion,  as  an  exhibition  of 
the  true  character  and  substance  of  Christian  prayer. 
For  brevity,  comprehensiveness,  and  propriety  of  ex¬ 
pression  and  arrangement,  this,  called  peculiarly  the 
Lord’s  prayer,  is  inimitable. 

Analysing  it  we  find  an  invocation,  six  petitions. 


VI.] 


lord's  prayer. 


363 


and  a  doxology.  The  first  three  petitions  refer  to 
God’s  glory  and  the  prosperity  of  his  kingdom,  the 
latter  three  refer  severally  to  our  temporal  wants, 
pardon  for  our  sins,  and  the  guidance  of  the  divine 
spirit.  The  doxology  or  conclusion,  like  the  invoca¬ 
tion,  ascribes  all  glory  to  God. 

These  several  parts  are  arranged  in  the  best  con-  - 
Ceivable  order,  and  embrace  the  whole  field  of  devo¬ 
tion. 

The  invocation  beautifully  suggests  the  Christian 
view  of  man’s  relationship  to  God.  We  are  to  pray  to 
no  awful  Deity  enthroned  in  terrors  ;  to  no  far  ofi*  and 
indifferent  being  destitute  of  regard  for  us  in  our  low¬ 
liness  ;  and  to  no  abstract,  unconscious  principle. 
But  Christian  prayer  begins  with  Our  Father,''  We 
are,  therefore,  God’s  children,  heirs  with  Christ  of  his 
kingdom.  He  is,  therefore,  a  personal  being,  not 
merely  the  all  of  which  we  are  part.  He  is  infinitely 
above  us,  removed  from  us  by  his  exaltation.  He  is 
our  Father  in  heaven." 

This  exalted,  heavenly  Father’s  name  w^e  must 
hallow.  His  very  name  should  be  reverenced  by  all 
creatures.  And  our  first  desire  and  petition  should 
be  that  he  may  be  thus  adored  by  us  and  by  others. 
Consequent  upon  this  is  the  advent  of  his  kingdom. 
When  men  hallow  God’s  name,  they  will  be  his  sub¬ 
jects,  and  his  reign  Avill  exist  in  their  hearts.  For 
such  a  coming  of  God’s  kingdom  into  the  hearts  of 
men,  not  for  an  external  theocracy,  or  some  social  re- 


864 


lord’s  prayer. 


[period 


organization  of  society,  should  we  pray.  Not  for 
forms  and  professions,  but  for  the  doing  of  God’s  will 
should  we  long.  This  is  the  evidence  that  we  hallow 
his  name,  and  that  his  kingdom  has  come  into  our 
hearts.  Pray,  therefore,  that  mankind  may  reverence 
God,  submit  to  his  authority,  and  do  his  will. 

For  ourselves  we  may  ask  daily  bread,  the  contin¬ 
uance  of  kind  providences  and  creature  comforts. 

As  sinners  we  need  also  forgiveness  from  God. 
As  we  need  pardon  from  each  other  for  injuries  mutu¬ 
ally  committed,  and  as  we  forgive  those  who  injure 
us,  so  may  we  hope  in  God’s  pardoning  mercy.  We 
can  hope  for  forgiveness  only  when  we  cherish  a  for¬ 
giving  spirit. 

And  not  only  do  we  need  pardon  for  the  past,  we 
should  pray  for  deliverance  from  future  evil ;  not  for 
freedom  from  all  trial.  Some  of  the  ills  and  trials  of 
life  are  necessary  for  the  development  of  our  char¬ 
acters  and  the  confirmation  of  our  virtues ;  but  we 
may  pray  God  not  to  lead  us  into  scenes  and  circum¬ 
stances  where  we  shall  be  tempted  above  what  we  in 
our  imperfection  can  bear.  We  may  and  should  pray 
for  him  to  deliver  us  from  the  power  of  evil,  or  of  the 
evil  one ;  from  the  dominion  of  sin,  and  from  the  in¬ 
clination  to  yield  to  temptation. 

In  the  same  connection,  Christ  sets  forth  the  im¬ 
portance  of  confidence  and  perseverance  in  prayer. 
Pray,  believing  that  ye  shall  receive.  God,  as  a 
Father,  delights  in  granting  the  prayers  of  his  chil- 


VI.] 


RETURN  OF  THE  SEVENTY. 


865 


dren.  Would  a  parent  give  stones,  serpents,  or  scor¬ 
pions,  to  the  hungry  child  that  cries  to  him  for  food? 
Milch  less  will  God  refuse  his  spirit  to  the  child  who 
craves  it. 

Or  would  a  disobliging  neighbor  rise  in  the  night 
and  grant  a  request  merely  to  free  himself  from  the 
importunity  of  the  petitioner  ?  Much  more  will  G  od 
answer  ‘^his  own  elect”  who  cry  night  and  day  unto 
him  with  tears.  Come  to  God  as  to  a  Father,  with 
the  submissiveness  and  confidence  of  a  child,  and  you 
shall  not  be  disappointed. 


[Luke  10:  17—24.] 

By  this  time  the  Seventy  who  had  been  sent  out  to 
preach  and  perform  miracles,  probably  along  the 
valley  of  the  Jordan,  had  worked  their  way  along 
into  Judea.  There  they  again  joined  Christ,  and  gave 
a  joyful  report  of  their  success.  ‘‘Lord,  even  the 
devils  are  subject  unto  us  through  thy  name.”  • 

Jesus  replied  that  before  their  return  he  “  saw 
Satan  as  lightning  fall  from  heaven.”  Their  success 
over  evil  spirits  was  but  another  indication  that  the 
dominion  of  evil  was  broken,  and  that  the  kingdom  of 
God  was  triumphant ;  and  the  triumph  of  his  king¬ 
dom  was  a  pledge  of  the  triumph  of  his  servants. 
Hence,  said  Christ,  “  I  give  unto  you  power  to  tread 
on  serpents  and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the  power  of 
the  enemy.” 

At  the  same  time,  he  cautioned  them  against  being 

31^ 


•  ■>  (  • 


RETURN  OF  THE  SEVENTY. 


[period 


dated  by  their  success.  They  should  rejoice,  not  so 
much  in  the  subjection  of  evil  spirits,  as  in  the  estab¬ 
lishment  of  God’s  kingdom  in  their  hearts,  and  in  the 
world. 

The  contemplation  of  the  mission  of  these  simple- 
hearted  disciples,  and  the  thoughts  suggested  by  their 
report,  deeply  affected  the  Redeemer. 

He  saw  in  this  beginning  of  missionary  effort  the 
first  budding  promises  of  success  for  his  cause  in  the 
hands  of  disciples.  This  was  a  pledge  that  they 
would  be  true  to  their  calling,  and  would,  after  his 
departure,  spread  the  gospel  committed  to  them. 

A  peculiar  joy  thrilled  his  soul  as  he  thought  of 
these  things,  and  he  broke  out  in  a  strain  of  fervent 
thanksgiving  to  the  Father,  who  had  revealed  to  these 
spiritual  “babes”  that  revelation  which  was  hidden 
from  the  worldly,  wise,  and  the  great  of  earth.  To  the 
disciples  he  said,  “  Blessed  are  the  eyes  which  see 
the  things  which  ye  see.”  Kings  and  prophets  de¬ 
sired  in  vain  to  behold  the  advent  of  Messiah,  and 
the  dawn  of  the  spiritual  theocracy,  and  to  hear  the 
gospel  which  is  now  committed  unto  you. 

[John.  9:  1—14;  10:  1—21.] 

An  incident  occurred  at  Jerusalem  shortly  after 
the  return  of  the  Seventy,  calculated  to  increase 
Christ’s  notoriety,  and  the  hostility  of  the  Pharisees. 

Unable  to  effect  anything  against  his  person,  they 
had  sought  to  limit  his  influence  by  terrifying  the 


VI.]  THE  MAN  WHO  WAS  BORN  BLIND.  367 

people,  in  order  to  prevent  them  from  following  him. 
With  this  design  they  had  published  that  whoever 
should  confess  to  a  belief  in  Jesus,  should  be  exclu¬ 
ded  from  the  synagogue. 

But  even  this  terror  to  every  Jew  did  not  prevent 
Jesus  from  gaining  new  adherents.  At  the  same  time 
he  seemed  to  defy  their  machinations  and  opposition, 
by  repeating  the  deed  upon  which  they  ostensibly 
rested  their  accusation,  healing  the  infirm  upon  the 
sabbath. 

At  the  time  now  under  review,  as  Jesus  and  his 
disciples  were  passing  to  or  from  the  temple,  they  saw 
a  man  who  had  been  blind  from  his  birth.  Struck  by 
the  seeming  severity  of  his  afiliction,  the  disciples,  in 
accordance  with  the  false  view  of  God’s  providential 
government  that  prevailed,  asked  whether  the  man’s 
blindness  was  inflicted  upon  him,  on  account  of  his 
own  sins  or  the  sins  of  his  parents,  supposing  each 
specific  affliction  to  be  sent  in  consequence  of  some 
particular  sin. 

Christ  refuted  this  view  of  affliction,  and  told  them 
that  the  man  was  born  blind  in  order  that  God’s  saving 
power  might  be  displayed  in  him.  This  seeming  mis¬ 
fortune  was  to  furnish  occasion  for  the  display  of 
Christ’s  miraculous  power,  and  for  the  removal  of  the 
man’s  spiritual  blindness ;  perhaps,  also,  for  the  at¬ 
traction  of  others  to  the  true  light. 

While  I  am  in  the  world,”  adds  Christ,  I  am 
its  light ;  and  while  the  day  lasts,  I  must  shine  or 
work. 


868  THE  MAN  WHO  WAS  BORN  BLIND.  [PERIOD 

He  then  proceeded  to  give  the  man  sight,  as  in 
the  case  at  Bethsaida,  by  the  seeming  use  of  ex¬ 
ternal  appliances ;  guarding  only  that  the  external 
means  should  be  wholly  inadequate  for  the  result. 
No  one  could  claim  that  an  ointment  such  as  he  ap¬ 
plied,  composed  of  common  clay  and  saliva,  washed 
off  with  water  from  the  pool  of  Siloam,  could  give 
sight  to  one  who  had  been  born  and  grown  to  man¬ 
hood  in  blindness. 

This  miracle  produced  a  great  sensation  at  Jeru¬ 
salem.  The  Sanhedrim  were  infuriated  to  find  Jesus 
working  thus  almost  before  their  eyes ;  and,  despite 
all  their  efforts,  securing  a  new  outburst  of  popular 
enthusiasm  in  his  favor. 

The  firm  adherence  of  the  man  who  had  been 
blind  to  the  truth,  and  his  reproof  of  their  unbelief, 
foiled  their  effort  to  suppress  the  report  of  the  mira¬ 
cle.  The  only  satisfaction  they  could  get  was  the 
excommunication  of  the  poor  man  for  his  attachment 
to  the  ‘^prophet”  who  had  opened  his  eyes. 

In  reference  to  this  case,  Christ  said  afterward, 
that  he  came  into  the  world  in  order  ^‘that  they  which 
see  not  might  see,  and  that  they  which  see  might  be 
made  blind ;  in  order  to  give  light  to  those  who  de¬ 
sire  it,  and  to  expose  the  blindness  of  those  who 
vainly  think  themselves  children  of  the  light. 

Certain  Pharisees  present,  surmising  that  they 
were  referred  to  in  the  latter  class,  asked  Jesus,  ‘‘Are 
we  blind  also? 


VI.]  CHRIST  THE  DOOR  AND  THE  SHEPHERD.  369 

To  this  he  replied,  in  a  caustic  manner,  that  if 
they  were  blind  it  would  be  better  for  them.  Igno¬ 
rance  might  be  some  apology  for  them,  if  they  were 
not  wilfully  blind. 

The  manner  in  which  Christ  addressed  the  man 
who  had  been  blind,  when  he  afterwards  met  him,  is 
noteworthy,  Believest  thou  on  the  Son  of  GrodV 
And,  as  the  man  did  not  recognize  him,  he  added  ^‘He 
it  is  that  talketh  with  thee.”  This  is  another  asser¬ 
tion  of  his  own  divinity. 

Alluding  to  the  conduct  of  the  Pharisees  toward 
this  poor  man,  and  their  disposition  to  make  the  flock 
of  God  subservient  to  their  own  selfish  purposes,  he 
delivered  the  beautiful  parable  of  the  shepherd,  con¬ 
trasting  the  characters  of  Christ  and  the  Pharisees  as 
spiritual  guides. 

The  church  is  a  fold,  believers  are  the  flock,  the 
spiritual  guide  is  a  shepherd,  and  Christ  is  the  door 
by  which  both  sheep  and  shepherd  should  enter  the 
fold.  Self-constituted  shepherds  destitute  of  a  divine 
calling,  who  enter  not  by  the  true  door,  are  thieves 
and  robbers.  The  parable  is  beautiful  and  impressive 
when  we  consider  the  habits  of  oriental  shepherds. 
We  think  of  the  fold  with  its  single  door;  of  the 
shepherd  whose  voice  is  as  familiar  to  the  sheep  as  a 
father’s  to  his  children ;  and  of  the  thief  clambering 
over  the  wall,  to  the  terror  of  the  flock  who  know  not 
his  voice. 

Again  Christ  is  more  than  the  door  by  which  to 


870  JESUS  IN  Solomon's  porch.  [period 

enter  the  fold  of  God;  he  is  also  the  ^^good  shep¬ 
herd,"  in  contrast  with  hirelings  and  selfish  pretend¬ 
ers.  Unlike  them  he  seeks  only  the  welfare  of  the 
flock,  and  hazards  his  life  for  their  defence.  A  deep, 
vital  sympathy  flows  between  him  and  his  charge.  In 
combat  with  their  enemy  he  will  yield  his  life ;  but 
his  fall  will  be  the  enemies  overthrow  and  ruin ;  and 
the  good  shepherd  will  rise  again  to  guard  his  beloved 
charge.  This  prophetic  allusion  to  his  death  and  res¬ 
urrection  led  him  to  look  still  forward  to  the  ingath¬ 
ering  of  his  church  after  his  departure,  and  to  speak 
of  other  sheep,"  not  of  the  Hebrew  fold,  whom  also 
he  “  must  gather."  They  too  shall  hear  my  voice  ; 
and  there  shall  be  one  fold.,  and  one  shepherd." 

By  such  discourses  some  of  Christ's  hearers  were 
attracted  to  him  and  believed.  Others  who  were  sel¬ 
fish,  vain,  and  fanatical,  saw  in  him  indications  of 
madness,  or  of  demoniacal  possession,  and  grew  ever 
more  hostile. 


[John  10:  22—42.] 

The  two  months  intervening  between  the  feast  of 
tabernacles  and  the  feast  of  dedication  had  now 
passed.  Public  sentiment  was  still  divided  and  exci¬ 
ted  respecting  the  claims  of  Jesus.  While  some  firmly 
believed  his  divine  commission,  and  others  as  firmly 
disbelieved,  a  large  class  doubted,  and  began  to  grow 
weary  of  suspense. 

During  the  feast  of  dedication,  late  in  December, 


JESUS  IN  Solomon’s  porch. 


371 


YI.] 


as  Jesus  was  one  day  walking  in  Solomon’s  porch, 
some  of  this  doubting  party  gathered  about  him,  and 
insisted  upon  a  definite  declaration  or  dunial  of  his 
Messiahship. 

Knowing  that  they  were  not  susceptible  of  any 
good  impressions,  and  that  no  further  assurance  of  his 
divine  mission  would  be  of  use  to  them,  Jesus  replied 
reprovingly,  I  told  you,  and  ye  believed  not ;  the 
works  that  I  do  in  my  Father’s  name,  they  bear  wit¬ 
ness  of  me.”  What  you  lack  is  a  heart  to  believe. 

Ye  believe  not  because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep.” 

My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  follow  me.”  They 
who  are  given  to  the  good  shepherd,  and  have  docile 
spirits,  well  know  his  divinity ;  and  he  as  well  knows 
them  and  will  guard  them.  give  unto  them  eternal 
life ;  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  man 
pluck  them  out  of  my  hands.  My  Father  which  gave 
them  me  is  greater  than  all,  and  none  is  able  to  pluck 
them  out  of  my  Father’s  hands.  I  and  my  Father 
are  one.”  One  in  purpose  and  power  to  save  the 
elect.  Glad  of  another  pretext  for  opposing  him,  the 
Jews  took  this  as  a  blasphemous  assertion  of  his  es¬ 
sential  unity  with  God,  and  took  up  stones,  resolved 
summarily  to  inflict  upon  him  a  blasphemer’s  doom. 

His  remark  did  not  of  necessity  imply  essential 
unity  with  God,  but  Christ  makes  no  objection  to  this 
interpretation  of  it ;  and  instead  of  softening  down 
and  explaining  his  remarks,  as  he  would  have  done  if 
their  interpretation  was  false,  he  proceeds  to  justify 


372 


DEATH  OF  LAZARUS. 


[period 


liis  claim  to  divine  appellations.  In  your  scriptures, 
says  he,  even  distinguished  men,  who  have  no  claim 
to  a  divine  commission,  are  sometimes  called  Gods ; 
and  why  may  not  he,  w'hom  the  Father  has  sancti¬ 
fied  and  sent  into  the  world,”  much  more  claim  to  be 
Son  of  God?”  Further,  he  appeals  to  his  miracles 
as  proof  that  the  Father  is  in  him,  and  he  in  the 
Father.  And  again  they  make  demonstrations  of 
violence  ;  but  he  escapes  unharmed. 

His  situation  now  becoming  more  and  more  pre¬ 
carious,  he  determines  to  leave  Judea  for  awhile,  and 
visit  Perea,  where  formerly  John  the  Baptist,  and 
recently  the  Seventy,  had  prepared  the  way  for  his 
effective  ministry. 

He  finds  a  hearty  welcome  in  Perea.  Multitudes 
resort  to  him,  and  many  believe,  declaring  that  John 
did  no  miracles,  but  all  things  that  John  spake  of  this 
man  were  true.” 

[John  11  :  1— 46.] 

Christ’s  successful  labors  in  Perea  were,  however, 
soon  interrupted  by  a  message  from  the  sisters  of 
Lazarus,  informing  him  of  their  brother’s  dangerous 
illness,  and  probably  requesting  him  to  visit  them. 
Of  course  it  would  be  regarded  as  a  request  that  he 
would  exert  his  power  to  save  the  life  of  his  friend. 
But  Christ  was  not  a  physician  who  must  hasten  to 
see  his  patient  before  the  crisis  of  the  disease.  He 
answered  encouragingly  that  this  sickness  was  ^^not 


VI.] 


DEATH  OF  LAZARUS. 


373 


unto  death,”  not  designed  by  Providence  for  the  re¬ 
moval  of  Lazarus  from  the  world,  but  that  the  Son 
of  God  might  be  glorified  thereby.”  This  certainly 
intimated  a  design  to  perform  some  miracle  in  the 
case ;  but  as  Jesus  refused  immediately  to  leave  his 
work,  remaining  two  days  longer  where  he  was,  it 
could  not  be  plain  to  the  messenger,  nor  to  the 
afilicted  family,  what  was  his  intention. 

Meantime  Lazarus  seems  to  have  died  on  the  day 
that  the  messenger  started  for  Jesus.  Whether  our 
Lord  knew  this  in  a  supernatural  way,  or  whether 
another  messenger  was  despatched  after  his  death 
wLo  informed  Christ  of  it,  we  are  not  informed ;  but 
after  two  days  he  communicated  the  fact  to  the  dis¬ 
ciples  and  proposed  to  return  to  Judea.  The  confi¬ 
dence  with  which  he  at  first  spoke  of  Lazarus’  sick¬ 
ness,  as  designed  for  a  manifestation  of  his  power, 
seems  to  indicate  that  he  possessed  supernaturally  a 
clear  foreknowledge  of  all  that  should  occur.  If  so, 
he  probably  delayed  his  journey  to  Bethany,  in  order 
to  render  the  miracle  more  indisputable  and  striking, 
the  state  of  things  in  Judea  seeming  to  demand  a 
miracle  of  the  highest  order,  to  be  wrought  under 
such  circumstances  that  none  could  deny  it.  He 
may  also  have  had  important  occupation  in  Perea, 
which  he  was  unwilling  abruptly  to  leave. 

The  proposition  to  return  to  Judea  was  received 
])y  the  disciples  with  surprise,  and  they  reminded 
Jesus  of  the  late  attempt  to  stone  him.  Thomas, 

32 


374  CHRIST  COMES  TO  BETHANY.  [PERIOD 

always  the  most  faithless  of  their  number,  though 
sincerely  attached  to  Jesus,  not  doubting  that  death 
awaited  his  master  and  perhaps  his  followers  if  he 
returned  to  the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem,  nerved  up  his 
courage  to  say  to  his  fellow-disciples,  Let  us  also 
go,  that  we  may  die  with  him.”  To  allay  their  ap¬ 
prehensions,  Jesus  tells  them  that  while  the  day  lasts 
one  need  not  fear  to  walk  abroad  ;  they  need  not  fear 
while  he,  their  sun,  is  with  them.  Even  after  his  de¬ 
parture  he  would  be  their  guide,  and  they  should  walk 
in  his  light.  His  own  day  was  also  appointed,  and 
no  enemy  could  prevail  until  his  time  should  come. 
Still,  he  would  not  return  to  the  scene  of  danger 
without  reason,  and  hence  he  informed  them  that  he 
was  going  to  awaken  their  friend  Lazarus  from  his 
sleep. 

At  the  house  of  Martha,  meanwhile,  all  is  deso¬ 
late  ;  the  brother  is  dead  and  buried ;  the  encourage¬ 
ment  that  seemed  to  be  contained  in  the  reply  of 
Jesus  to  the  messenger  seems  to  have  failed.  Many 
sympathfsing  Jews  gather  in  to  comfort  the  mourners  ; 
but  he  whom  they  most  desire  to  see  is  thirty  miles 
distant,  and  seems  not  disposed  to  regard  them.  The 
sisters  are  deeply  bereaved  and  disconsolate. 

When  therefore,  upon  the  fourth  day  from  her 
brother’s  death,  some  one  whispers  to  Martha  that 
Jesus  is  coming,  she  hastens  out  with  a  full  heart  to 
meet  him.  A  faint  gleam  of  hope  even  now  dawns 
upon  her  at  sight  of  the  Saviour,  and  she  exclaims. 


VI.] 


CHRIST  COMES  TO  BETHANY. 


375 


Lord,  if  thou  hadst  been  here,  my  brother  had  not 
died.  But  I  know  that  even  now  whatsoever  thou 
wilt  ask  of  God,  God  will  give  it  thee.”  Taking  this 
as  an  intimation  of  hope  that  her  brother  might  yet 
be  restored,  Jesus  replies,  Thy  brother  shall  rise 
again.”  Scarce  daring  to  hope  that  Christ  would 
perform  such  a  miracle,  she  expresses  her  faith  in  the 
resurrection  at  the  last  day,  as  if  that  were  the  allu¬ 
sion  of  Jesus.  But  he,  desiring  to  aw'aken  in  her  a 
livelier  faith,  replies,  ‘‘  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the 
life;”  I  am  the  author  and  fountain  of  life;  I  hold 
the  power  of  resurrection.  The  living  who  believe  in 
me  shall  not  die,  and  though  he  were  dead,  yet  should 
the  believer  live. 

Though  not  clearly  comprehending  Christ’s  words, 
Martha  now  declares  her  unqualified  faith  in  him  as 
Messiah,  her  hope  is  strengthened ;  and  at  his  sug¬ 
gestion  she  returns  to  the  house  to  call  her  sister. 
Grief  had  almost  overcome  the  pensive  Mary,  and 
when  she  reached  Jesus  she  fell  sobbing  at  his  feet. 
The  Jews  who  followed  her  from  the  house  join  her  in 
tears,  and  the  compassionate  Saviour  himself,  moved 
by  their  deep  grief,  groans  in  spirit,  and  weeps  with 
the  mourners.  The  pure  humanity  is  not  repressed 
by  the  divinity  with  which  it  is  united.  Jesus  weeps 
with  those  who  weep. 

Some  of  the  spectators  see  in  his  tears  only  the 
proof  of  his  love  for  Lazarus.  Others  somewhat 
captiously  enquire  whether  this  man  who  opened 


376 


LAZARUS  RAISED. 


[n.uIOD. 


the  eyes  of  the  blind’’  could  not  have  prevented  the 
death  of  his  friend  ?  The  giving  of  sight  to  the 
blind  man  was  one  of  the  most  recent  of  Christ’s 
miracles,  and  perhaps  the  most  striking  of  any  that 
he  had  performed  in  the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem;  the 
restoration  of  the  dead  having  occurred  in  Galilee. 

By  this  time  Christ  has  followed  the  mourners  to 
the  tomb,  or  cave,  where  Lazarus  was  buried.  When 
he  bids  them  remove  the  cover  from  the  grave,  Mar¬ 
tha’s  faith  fails.  Lord,  he  has  been  dead  four 

days  !  ”  Reminding  her  of  what  he  had  before  said, 
Jesus,  in  calm  assurance,  offers  an  audible  prayer,  de¬ 
signed  to  impress  the  spectators  with  the  assurance 
that  the  power  of  God  was  present  working  through 
his  Son.  This  done,  he  approaches,  and  with  a  loud 
voice  cries  into  the  tomb,  Lazarus,  come  forth !  ” 
Anon,  the  dead  man  starts  up,  and  in  his  winding- 
sheet  leaps  from  his  grave,  and  lives  before  them ! 

The  effect  could  only  be  overwhelming  upon  any 
of  the  spectators  who  were  susceptible  of  any  emo¬ 
tions.  Many  of  them,  it  is  said,  believed.  But  those 
were  not  wanting  who  could  go  even  from  this  exhi¬ 
bition  and  with  cold  malice  tell  the  Pharisees  that 
Jesus  was  at  Bethany,  and  again  working  his  mi¬ 
racles. 


[John  11 :  47 — 54.] 

So  indisputable  and  astounding  was  this  miracle, 
and  so  great  its  effect  upon  the  community,  that  a 


CHRIST  AT  EPHRAIM. 


meeting  of  the  Sanhedrim  was  immediately  convoked 
by  the  hostile  members,  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
more  efficient  measures  for  Christ’s  removal. 

‘‘What  are  we  doing?”  say  they.  Despite  all 
our  former  efforts  for  his  suppression,  here  he  is  within 
two  miles  of  our  council  room,  in  open  day,  before 
many  of  our  people,  multiplying  his  miracles.  “  If 
we  let  him  thus  alone,  all  men  will  believe  on  him.” 
He  will  be  publicly  proclaimed  king,  and  that  will 
draw  down  the  vengeance  of  Rome  upon  us,  and  we 
shall  lose  what  of  independence  remains  to  us.  Rage 
furnishes  them  wit  and  eloquence  :  the  miracles  can 
not  be  denied ;  the  people  can  not  be  prevented  from 
believing  on  him ;  the  only  hope  is  in  destroying 
him.  And  the  pretence  of  danger  to  the  State  may 
serve  to  justify  this  step.  And,  says  the  high  priest, 
kindling  with  indignation  against  some  who  hesitated, 
it  is  surely  better  that  one  man  should  die,  than  that 
the  whole  nation  should  perish;  uttering  unconsciously 
a  momentous  truth. 

This  speech  decided  the  council ;  they  declared 
that  he  must  die ;  and  henceforth  eagerly  sought 
some  opportunity  to  put  him  out  of  the  way,  without 
exciting  a  public  tumult. 

To  avoid  their  snares  for  a  time,  Jesus  retired  to 
Ephraim,  an  obscure  village,  occupying  an  elevated 
position,  about  twenty  miles  north-east  from  Jerusa¬ 
lem.  Hated  and  hunted  like  a  panting  fugitive,  he 
climbs  the  rugged  heights  of  modern  Taiyibeh. 

32* 


378 


CHRIST  AT  EPHRAIM. 


[period 


[Matt.  19:  1,  2;  Mark  10:  1;  Luke  13:  10—21.] 

From  Ephraim  Jesus  made  short  excursions  doiN'n 
into  the  valley  of  the  Jordan,  continuing  his  labors  in 
that  promising  region.  As  an  illustration  of  his  la¬ 
bors  and  success  here,  it  is  related  that  one  sabbath 
while  teaching  in  a  synagogue  he  discovered  in  the 
congregation  a  woman  who  w'as  ‘‘bowed  together”  by 
a  chronic  infirmity  of  eighteen  years’  standing.  Call¬ 
ing  her  to  him  he  laid  his  hands  upon  her,  saying, 
“  woman,  thou  art  loosed  from  thine  infirmity.  And 
immediately  she  was  made  straight.” 

The  ruler  of  the  synagogue  not  daring  directly  to 
attack  Christ,  immediately  rebuked  the  people  for 
coming  to  be  healed  on  the  sabbath.  Jesus  regarding 
the  rebuke  as  meant  for  himself,  and  desiring  also  to 
expose  the  bigotry  of  the  ruler,  asked  him  whether  he 
does  not  on  the  sabbath  “  loose  his  ox  or  his  ass  from 
the  stall,  and  lead  him  away  to  watering  ?  And  ought 
not  this  woman”  much  more  to  be  loosed  from  her 
bond  upon  that  day  ? 

These  questions  confounded  the  ruler  and  those 
who  sympathised  with  him.  They  could  not  conceal 
their  shame  from  the  people ;  who  could  not,  either, 
restrain  their  joy  and  admiration  of  Christ’s  works. 
The  ruler’s  rebuke  became  the  means  of  strengthening 
their  confidence  in  Christ. 

Contemplating  the  progress  of  his  work  and  the 
happy  results  attending  even  such  slight  incidents  as 
the  above,  Christ  likened  the  “kingdom  of  God”  to 


VI.]  JOURNEYS  TOWARDS  JERUSALEM  879 

the  grain  of  mustard  seed,  growing  to  a  great  tree ; 
and  again  to  the  hidden  leaven  working  silently,  im¬ 
perceptibly,  yet  rapidly  through  the  whole  mass. 

[Luke  13:  22—33.] 

The  time  of  the  passover  was  now  approaching, 

and  Jesus  turned  again  towards  Jerusalem,  travelling 

< 

slowly  and  preaching  in  the  cities  and  villages  by  the 
way. 

The  people  who  gathered  about  him  were  exhorted 
earnestly  to  use  the  present  time  and  prepare  them¬ 
selves  for  admission  into  the  true  kingdom  of  God. 
To  the  idle  question  of  one,  whether  few  or  many 
should  be  saved,  he  replied  by  bidding  him  strive  only 
to  secure  his  owm  salvation;  and  proceeded  to  state, 
that  many  deluded  persons  shall  be  excluded  from  his 
kingdom  because  they  trust  in  some  outward  connec¬ 
tion  with  his  people  and  church,  but  have  not  that  vi¬ 
tal  union  to  him  which  is  secured  by  coming  through 
the  ^‘straight  gate”  of  repentance  and  self-denial. 
Foreigners  from  every  clime  shall  be  admitted  to  the 
social  intercourse  of  redeemed  patriarchs  in  heaven, 
Avhile  many  who  deem  themselves  peculiarly  the  peo¬ 
ple  of  God  shall  be  excluded. 

Jesus  was  now  within  the  jurisdiction  of  Herod. 
Some  of  the  Pharisees,  perhaps  sent  by  Herod,  but 
more  probably  desiring  themselves  to  drive  Jesus  out 
of  Perea,  came  to  him  and  told  him  to  leave  the 
country,  or  Herod  would  kill  him.  Nowise  alarmed  bj^ 


380  JESUS  DINES  WITH  A  PHARISEE.  [PERIOD 

their  warning,  he  bade  them  tell  the  crafty  tetrarch 
that  he  should  leave  when  his  work  was  done.  For 
a  day  or  two  longer  I  shall  continue  in  his  domain, 
pursuing  my  appropriate  labors.  I  have  no  fear  of 
Herod.  Jerusalem  is  the  place  where  prophets  perish  : 
when  my  work  is  perfected  I  shall  go  there  to  die. 

Here  follow^  many  incidents  and  discourses  which 
may  not  all  have  occurred  precisely  at  this  period, 
and  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  presented. 

[Luke  14:  1—24.] 

During  the  latter  portion  of  his  ministry,  Christ 
seems  to  have  sought  rather  than  shunned  occasions 
to  come  athwart  the  Pharisees  and  rebuke  their  for¬ 
malism  and  selfishness.  They  certainly  sought  occa¬ 
sions  to  draw  him  into  snares.  It  was  probably  de¬ 
signedly  on  their  part,  that,  on  a  certain  sabbath, 
when  Christ  had  been  invited  by  a  Pharisee  to  dine 
at  his  house  in  company  with  a  number  of  lawyers 
and  Pharisees,  a  dropsical  man  appeared  desiring  a 
cure.  Anticipating  the  opposition  of  the  company, 
Jesus  began  by  asking  them  whether  it  is  ‘‘lawful  to 
heal  on  the  sabbath  day?’'  Frustrated  by  this  direct 
appeal,  they  are  silent;  and  he  heals  the  man,  sends 
him  away,  and  then  completely  seals  their  mouths  by 
asking,  as  on  a  former  occasion,  which  of  them  would 
not  pull  out  his  ox  or  ass  if  it  should  fall  into  a  pit 
on  the  sabbath  day  ? 


t 


VI.]  JESUS  DINES  WITH  A  PHARISEE.  381 

This  dinner  gave  occasion  for  several  useful  lessons 
to  the  Pharisees. 

As  they  sat  down  to  table,  their  vanity  and  pride 
was  exhibited  in  their  anxiety  to  occupy  seats  of 
honor,  according  to  their  notions  of  rank.  This  drew 
forth  from  Christ  a  beautiful  rule  of  prudence  for  the 
regulation  of  social  life  on  principles  of  humility  and 
true  politeness.  Assume  not  the  highest  seat,  is  his 
advice,  lest  you  be  humbled ;  take  rather  the  lowest, 
and  stand  your  chance  of  promotion.  ^^For  whoso- 
ever  exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased  ;  and  he  that 
humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted.’’  The  humility 
enjoined  by  Christ  pertains  to  our  spiritual  as  well 
as  our  social  life. 

Changing  slightly  the  topic,  Christ  next  gave  the 
host  a  rule  to  regulate  him  in  the  invitation  of 
guests  when  making  a  feast.  The  direction  was 
equivalent  to  a  rebuke  of  that  selfishness  and  exclu¬ 
siveness  prevalent  amongst  the  Pharisees.  Invite, 
said  he,  the  poor  and  afflicted.  Seek  no  recompense 
from  men  for  your  hospitality,  but  await  the  future 
recompense  of  the  just. 

Hereupon  one  of  the  guests  remarked  to  Jesus, 
‘‘Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  kingdom  of 
God.”  This  remark  was  elicited  by  the  allusion  of 
Jesus  to  the  “resurrection  of  the  just,”  as  the  time 
of  recompense  to  the  faithful.  The  Jews  expected 
such  a  resurrection  when  the  Messiah  should  set  up 
his  kingdom.  ‘  The  Pharisees  deemed  themselves  sure 


382  CONDITION  OF  TRUE  DISCIPLESHIP.  [PERIOD 

of  a  place  in  that  kingdom.  Still  intent  to  correct 
their  false  views,  Jesus  answered  the  speaker  in  a 
parable,  designed  to  show  that  many  of  those  who  ex¬ 
pected  a  place  in  his  kingdom  should  be  rejected, 
while  those  whom  they  despised  should  be  admitted. 
Continuing  to  use  the  figure  of  a  feast,  he  told  them 
of  the  first  invited  guests,  who,  on  account  of  world¬ 
liness  and  a  failure  to  appreciate  the  invitation,  treated 
it  with  indifiference,  and  were  rejected ;  and  of  the 
^^poor,  maimed,  halt,  and  blind,’’  the  publicans  and 
sinners  and  foreigners,  who  were  afterwards  welcomed, 
and  shared  the  feast. 

[Luke  14:  25—35.] 

Soon  after  the  above  we  find  a  great  multitude 
following  Christ,  to  whom  he  sets  forth  the  necessary 
conditions  of  true  discipleship.  He  aims  to  correct 
their  false  expectation  that  the  Messiah  would  erect  a 
splendid,  earthly  court  and  kingdom,  assuring  them 
that  instead  of  expecting  ease  and  honor  in  his  ser¬ 
vice,  they  must  be  prepared  to  make  all  conceivable 
self-denials  ;  even  kindred  and  life  itself  must  be  held 
second  to  him.  Let  the  disciple  count  the  cost  before 
he  enters  Christ’s  service ;  let  him  be  ready  to  take 
up  his  cross  and  follow  his  Lord  to  the  field  of  execu¬ 
tion.  Without  such  devo-tion  he  will  fail,  and  reap 
only  the  shame  of  apostacy.  And  what  is  more  vile 
than  the  apostate  ?  Like  salt  that  has  lost  its  savor, 
he  is  fit  only  to  be  cast  away. 


383 


VI-]  PARABLE  OF  THE  PRODIGAL. 

[Luke  15:  1 — 32.] 

Christ’s  sympathy  for  the  destitute  and  despised, 
as  well  as  their  own  conscious  need  of  his  salvation, 
•  attracted  to  him  increasing  numbers  of  publicans 
and  sinners.”  His  kind  reception  of  them,  however, 
increased  the  disaffection  and  contempt  of  the  higher 
classes.  This  called  forth  the  beautiful  parables  of 
the  lost  sheep,  the  piece' of  money,  and  the  Prodigal 
Son.  Each  of  these  parables  exemplifies  the  same 
truth,  the  affection  of  God  for  his  wayward,  wander¬ 
ing  children.  Our  estimation  of  the  value  of  a  soul 
is  enhanced  by  his  picture  of  the  joy  experienced  in 
the  world  above  when  one  sinner  is  reclaimed. 

The  moving  story  of  the  Prodigal  beautifully  il¬ 
lustrates  the  character  and  experience  of  the  self- 
righteous  legalist,  the  elder  son,  the  Pharisee ;  of  the 
worldling  who  runs  through  the  whole  round  of  earthly 
enjoyment,  becomes  conscious  of  its  insuflBciency,  and 
in  his  wretched  beggary  returns  penitent  to  God  for 
pardon  and  a  better  portion ;  and  the  strong,  paternal 
love  of  God,  yearning  to  receive  back  the  vilest  sin¬ 
ner.  Salvation  is  not  limited  to  favorites.  The  Great 
Father  would  run  to  embrace  any  returning  prodigal, 
though  he  had  been  never  so  vile  a  sinner. 

[Luke  16 :  1—13. 

There  were  probably,  amongst  the  publicans  who 
came  to  hear  Christ,  many  who  had  accumulated 
property  by  unrighteous  means,  and  many  others  of 


384  THE  RICH  MAN  AND  LAZARUS.  [PERIOD 

covetous  disposition.  The  parable  of  the  unjust  stew¬ 
ard  teaches  us  that  in  the  service  of  God  we  might 
profitably  learn  from  such  worldlings  the  importance 
of  prudence  and  adherence  to  a  single  purpose ;  and 
the  proper  use  of  wealth  in  order  to  purchase  by  it 
heavenly  treasures.  The  steward  makes  everything 
tell  for  his  selfish  purposes,  uses  his  opportunities  so 
as  to  secure  a  home  when  his  present  position  fails 
him.  So  should  the  good  man,  by  a  righteous  but 
judicious  policy,  and  singleness  of  aim,  make  even 
his  unrighteous  mammon,  his  wealth,  contribute  to  his 
future  welfare.  For  this  end  let  him  expend  it  upon 
the  destitute  children  of  God,  who  will  in  turn  wel¬ 
come  him  to  their  home  above.  Mammon  must  not 
be  worshipped  or  sought  as  an  end.  God  will  not 
dwell  in  the  same  heart  with  that  grovelling  demon ; 
but  mammon  may  be  harnessed  to  the  car  and  made 
to  speed  salvation. 

[Luke  16:  14,  15,  19—31.] 

Some  covetous  Pharisees,  who  heard  the  parable 
of  the  steward,  and  the  exhortation  following  it,  de¬ 
rided  the  Savior ;  whereupon  he  reproved  their  self¬ 
justifications,  and  proceeded  to  deliver  the  parable  of 
the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  contrasting  those  who  seek 
their  chief  enjoyment  in  this  world,  its  riches  and 
pleasures,  with  those  who  seek  the  true  riches,  and 
receive  their  ‘^good  things”  hereafter.  The  selfish, 
uncharitable,  luxurious  worldling  shall,  when  sense 


VI.] 


PHARISEE  AND  PUBLICAN. 


8«5 


and  earth  fail  him,  suffer  an  eternal  hunger  and  thirst 
and  torment ;  while  the  pious,  submissive  sufferer  on 
earth  shall  find  his  soul’s  desires  satisfied  in  heaven. 

The  parable  also  inculcates  the  truth  that  no  mi¬ 
raculous  exhibitions,  not  even  the  return  of  a  soul 
from  the  other  world,  would  avail  to  bring  a  carnal, 
worldl;^  mind  to  repentance  and  faith,  if  he  is  un¬ 
moved  by  ‘^’Moses  and  the  prophets.” 

[Luke  18:  9—14;  Luke  18:  1—8.] 

Nor  will  God  receive  a  soul  that  does  not  come  in 
repentance  and  humility  to  him.  This  truth,  beauti¬ 
fully  illustrated  in  the  parable  of  the  Pharisee  and 
Publican,  who  went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray,  also 
comes  athwart  the  self-righteousness  of  the  Pharisees, 
for  whom  it  was  spoken.  The  Pharisee,  exalting  him¬ 
self  above  the  despised  sinner,  trusting  in  his  self- 
acquired  merits,  is  condemned ;  while  the  notorious 
sinner  who  confesses  and  feels  his  unworthiness  re¬ 
ceives  pardon  and  justification.  The  difference  in 
their  prevailing  spirit  and  self-estimation  is  exhibited 
in  the  prayers. 

The  hearer  of  prayer  scrutinizes  the  heart.  He 
is  a  God  of  justice,  and  not  a  respecter  of  persons ; 
hence  the  penitent  suppliant  need  never  despair  of  an 
answer.  The  righteous  God  will  hear  his  children, 
though  sometimes  he  may  try  their  faith  by  delaying 
the  blessing.  But  if  an  unjust  judge  would  avenge 
a  widow  for  whose  interests  he  had  no  regard,  merely 

33 


386  DIVORCE.  [period 

to  be  free  from  her  continual  entreaties,  much  more 
will  ‘‘  God  avenge  his  own  elect  which  cry  day  and 
night  unto  him,  though  he  bear  long  with  them.” 
The  difficulty  is  that  mankind  have  not  confidence 
enough  in  God’s  righteousness.  This  want  of  faith, 
and  not  God’s  indifference  or  injustice,  prevents  the 
answer  to  prayer. 

[Matt.  19:  8—12;  Mark  10:  2—12.] 

The  remarkable  trait  in  all  these  discourses  is  the 
accuracy  and  insight  with  which  Christ  at  once  pene¬ 
trates  to  the  heart  of  the  matter  in  hand,  and  sets 
forth  the  fundamental  principles  by  which  it  should 
be  tested.  This  original  insight,  and  clear  apprehen¬ 
sion  of  fundamental  principles,  is  aptly  illustrated  in 
his  remarks  upon  marriage  and  divorce. 

The  question  was  much  debated  by  the  Jews, 
whether  divorce  was  morally  right  in  all  cases  at  the 
will  of  the  husband,  according  to  the  civil  or  theocra¬ 
tic  law  of  Moses.  When  the  question  was  proposed 
to  Christ  for  his  opinion,  he  at  once  separated  the 
civil  from  the  moral  aspect  of  marriage,  and  referred 
the  questioners  back  to  the  original  institution.  God 
said,  ‘‘they  twain  shall  be  one  fiesh.”  The  original 
idea  of  marriage  was  that  of  an  inseparable  union, 
unitizing,  of  the  parties.  And  Christ  aims  to  restore 
society  to  its  original  condition. 

But  why,  it  is  asked,  did  Moses  provide  for  di¬ 
vorce  ?  The  answer  is,  that  Moses  conceded  somewhat 


CELIBACY. 


887 


VI.] 

to  the  spirit  and  customs  of  the  age.  He  promul-. 
gated  what  might  serve  as  a  civil  code ;  and  of  course 
could  not  hope  at  once  to  realize  the  moral  idea  of 
society  in  the  state.  But  the  original  design  of  mar¬ 
riage  prohibits  divorce,  except  for  the  one  crime  of 
conjugal  infidelity.  Christianity  does  the  same. 

This  view  of  marriage,  so  far  in  advance  of  the 
sentiment  of  the  age,  elicited  from  the  disciples  the 
suggestion,  that  celibacy  would  be  preferable  to  mar¬ 
riage  under  such  restrictions. 

To  this  suggestion,  he  replied,  that  some  may  for 
the  sake  of  greater  efficiency  in  the  service  of  God 
control  their  natural  inclinations  and  abstain  from 
marriage.  Others  are  disqualified  for  the  relationship  ; 
but  all,  says  he,  can  not  adopt  this  doctrine.  Celi¬ 
bacy  can  not  become  the  general  rule. 

The  impression  is  given  that  God  ordained  mar¬ 
riage  as  the  common  law ;  but  under  peculiar  circum¬ 
stances,  particularly  when  the  gospel  is  to  be  dissemi¬ 
nated  by  itinerant  evangelists,  it  may  be  expedient  to 
remain  unmarried.  So  also  those  who,  like  Paul,  are 
subject  constantly  to  persecution,  and  liable  to  be  at 
any  time  imprisoned  or  put  to  death,  may  with  pro¬ 
priety  remain  single.  No  intimation  is  given  that 
celibacy  is  more  holy  or  desirable  than  matrimony. 


[Matt.  19:  13—15;  Mark  10:  13—16;  Luke  18 :  15— 17.J 

A  variety  of  incidents  occurred  in  Perea,  which 
ser-ved  to  draw  out  the  sentiments  of  Christ  upon 


388  WHAT  SHALL  I  DO  ?  [PERIOD 

different  topics.  On  one  occasion  the  people  mani¬ 
fested  their  high  regard  for  him  by  bringing  to  him 
their  little  children  that  he  might  invoke  a  blessing 
upon  them.  The  disciples  remonstrated  against  this 
transaction  regarding  it  as  an  imposition  upon  their 
master.  Jesus,  however,  used  the  occasion  to  set 
forth  by  vivid  illustration  the  disposition  of  heart 
necessary  for  admittance  into  his  kingdom.  Affec¬ 
tionately  taking  the  children  up  into  his  arms,  he 
‘^put  his  hands  on  them  and  blessed  them,”  telling  his 
disciples  that  only  they  who  possess  a  child-like  spirit 
can  ‘‘enter  the  kingdom  of  God.” 

[Matt.  19:  16—30;  Matt.  20:  1—16;  Mark  10:  17—31; 

Luke  18  :  18 — 30.] 

This  incident  took  place  just  as  Christ  was  leaving 
a  certain  town.  After  he  had  gone  out  of  the  town 
he  was  overtaken  by  a  rich,  young  ruler,  who  kneeled 
and  asked  what  he  must  do  “  to  inherit  eternal  life  ?” 

Urbane  and  amiable,  with  a  blameless  exterior 
deportment,  the  young  man  probably  expected  com¬ 
mendation  from  Christ,  or  at  most  the  direction  to 
practice  some  new  rite.  Addressing  Jesus  as  “  Good 
Master,”  he  received  at  once  a  reply  adapted  to 
check  his  self-esteem.  “  Why  callest  thou  me  good?” 
says  Christ ;  “  there  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is 
God.”  In  the  highest  sense,  God  alone  is  good  ;  and 
the  ruler  did  not  address  Christ  as  God,  supposing 
him  to  be  only  a  great  man.  He  W'ould  have  called 


VI.] 


WHAT  SHALL  I  DO  ? 


389 


a  Jewish  Rabbi  goal,  in  the  same  style;  he  would 
gladly  be  himself  addressed  in  the  same  manner.  As 
a  lesson  to  him  Christ  disclaims  the  appellation.  He 
then  gives  the  young  man  opportunity  plainly  to  as¬ 
sert  his  own  self-righteousness :  “  all  these  have  I 
kept,”  says  he,  referring  to  the  commandments  pro¬ 
posed  by  Christ  as  the  condition  of  salvation.  The 
latter  saw  that  there  was  a  selfish  worldliness  in  the 
young  man’s  heart,  and  that  one  important  element 
of  piety  was  wanting.  He  therefore  bade  him  dis¬ 
tribute  his  wealth  to  the  poor,  and  follow  him  as  a 
disciple.  This  exposed  the  defect  of  his  character ; 
he  could  not  wholly  renounce  the  w'orld.  And  as  he 
‘‘went  away  sorrowful,”  Jesus  called  the  attention  of 
his  disciples  to  the  difiiculty  of  entering  heaven  while 
encumbered  by  the  riches  of  earth.  Sooner  “  may  a 
camel  go  through  a  needle’s  eye,”  as  runs  the  pro¬ 
verb,  than  a  rich  man  enter  heaven.  This  implies, 
as  the  disciples  saw,  a  natural  impossibility ;  but 
“with  God  all  things  are  possible.”  God  only  can 
impart  that  higher  love  which  weans  the  heart  from 
earth  and  attaches  it  to  the  true  riches. 

Peter  hereupon  enquires,  what  shall  be  their  por¬ 
tion  who  have  renounced  the  world  to  become  disciples 
of  Christ  ?  The  answer  is  that  every  one  who  has 
renounced  his  worldly  interests  and  attachments  for 
the  sake  of  Christ  and  the  gospel  “  shall  receive 
manifold  more  in  this  present  time,  and  in  the  world 
to  come  life  everlasting.”  Their  sacrifices  shall  be 
33* 


890  LABORER'S  IN  THE  VINEYARD.  [PERIOD 

amply  repaid  in  spiritual  enjoyments  and  new  rela¬ 
tionships,  and  treasures  of  a  higher  kind  even  on 
earth  ;  but  the  main  reward  is  the  life  everlasting” 
above  earth  and  time.  But  many  who,  like  the  young 
man,  esteem  themselves  as  first,  surest  of  heaven, 
shall  be  last,”  perhaps  fail  entirely;  while  humble 
Gentiles  shall  be  welcomed  as  first.” 

The  enquiry  of  Peter,  what  they  should  have  ? 
may  have  suggested  the  parable  of  the  laborers  in  the 
vineyard,  designed  to  check  the  passion  for  rewards. 

They  who  were  called  at  the  eleventh  hour  re¬ 
ceive  as  much  as  they  ivho  were  called  early  in  the 
morning.”  And  this  wdth  no  injustice,  for  all  the  re¬ 
compense  is  a  gift  of  grace  ;  and  he  who  bestows  gifts 
should  not  be  complained  of,  however  he  may  propor¬ 
tion  his  favors.  God  beneficently  chooses  to  propor¬ 
tion  our  wages,  not  to  the  length  of  time  we  serve 
him,  but  to  our  faithfulness  after  we  have  been  called. 
All  who  are  converted  become  partakers  of  the  same 
heaven.  And  no  one  can  with  propriety  claim  more 
than  God  gives  him. 


[Matt.  20:  17—19;  Mark  10:  32—34;  Luke  18:  31—34.] 

Thus  Jesus  labored  along  the  Jordan  until  the  first 
of  April,  when  he  again  directed  his  steps  towards 
Jerusalem.  Considering  the  hostility  of  the  Sanhe¬ 
drim,  the  disciples  were  astonished  and  terrified  at 
the  determination  of  Christ  to  return  thither  so  soon. 
Calm  and  resolute  he  marched  before  his  timid  and 


VI.] 


Salome’s  request. 


891 


reluctant  followers.  Nor  was  their  fear  diminished 
when  he  told  them,  the  Son  of  Man  shall  be  deliv¬ 
ered  unto  the  chief  priests  and  unto  the  scribes :  and 
they  shall  condemn  him  to  death,  and  shall  deliver  him 
to  the  Gentiles  ;  and  they  shall  mock  him,  and  shall 
scourge  him,  and  shall  spit  upon  him,  and  shall  kill 
him.”  These  prophetic  words  fell  like  a  pall  of  mys¬ 
tery  and  terror  upon  the  anxious  disciples.  That 
Messiah  should  yield  to  his  enemies  seemed  almost 
inconceivable ;  yet  everything  indicated  it :  Jesus 
himself  predicted  it.  True,  he  also  said  that  the 
third  day  he  shall  rise  again  ;  ”  but  this  was  a  part 
of  the  insoluble  enigma.  Time  only  could  explain  to 
them  these  dark  utterances.  Still  they  had  faith  in 
their  leader,  and  followed  on  towards  Jerusalem. 

[Matt.  20:  20—28;  Mark  10:  35—45.] 

Amongst  the  followers  of  Christ  at  this  period  was 
Salome,  mother  of  James  and  John.  These  disciples, 
still  cherishing  the  expectation  that  Christ  would  erect 
a  temporal  throne  and  kingdom,  and  convinced  that 
the  great  crisis  in  his  mission  was  near,  yielded  to 
their  carnal  ambition  so  far  as  to  prefer,  through  their 
mother,  a  request  for  stations  of  honor  in  the  new 
theocracy.  Christ  replies  that  they  know  not  what 
they  ask,  and  enquires  whether  they  are  able  to 
share  the  labors  and  sufferings  which  are  before  him. 
They  reply  inconsiderately  that  they  are  able.” 
Jesus  then  kindly  teaches  them  that  although  they 


392  sal6me's  request.  -  [period. 

may  drink  of  the  same  cup  with  him,  he  can  not  ar¬ 
bitrarily,  from  mere  personal  regard,  grant  them  rank 
and  station  in  his  kingdom.  That  depends  upon 
character,  and  is  an  allotment  of  the  righteous 
Father. 

The  other  disciples  are  indignant  at  James  and 
John  for  this  selfish  vanity;  but  Christ  employs  the 
occasion  to  give  them  all  a  lesson  upon  humility. 
There  shall  be  among  you,  says  he,  no  ranks  and  dis¬ 
tinctions  of  lord  and  servant,  such  as  the  world  makes ; 
but  he  who  excels  in  humility,  and  in  oflBces  of  kind¬ 
ness  to  his  brethren,  shall  be  accounted  greatest 
amongst  you.  As  the  Son  of  Man  came  to  serve  the 
race  and  to  ‘^give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many,’’  so 
let  it  be  your  ambition  to  serve  each  other ;  this  is 
Christian  ambition. 

[Matt.  20  :  29 — 34  ;  Mark  10 :  46 — 52  ;  Luke  18 :  35 — 43  ; 

Luke  19;  1.] 

Somewhere  near  Jericho,  about  eight  miles  west 
of  the  Jordan,  Jesus  probably  joined  the  caravan  from 
Galilee,  which  took  this  route  in  going  to  Jerusalem 
to  attend  the  passover.  At  least  we  find  him  in  com¬ 
pany  with  a  great  multitude,”  going  to  the  pass- 
over. 

N’ear  the  city  gate  sat  two  blind  men,  one  of  them 
a  son  of  Timaeus,  probably  a  man  of  note.  Hearing 
that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  passing  by,  one  or  both 
of  them  began  to  cry  out,  ‘‘  0  Lord,  Son  of  David, 


VI.]  BARTIMEUS. — ZACCHEUS.  893 

have  mercy  on  us!”  The  multitude  rebuked  them 
for  this  interruption,  regarding  it  as  an  incivility.  But 
Bartimeus,  strong  in  faith  and  earnest  for  relief,  cries 
the  louder,  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me  !  ” 
Jesus  hearing  the  cry,  bids  them  bring  the  blind  men 
near,  commends  their  faith,  touches  their  eyes,  and 
they  see. 

[Luke  19;  2—27.] 

In  the  procession  that  accompanied  Jesus,  as  he 
left  the  city,  was  a  rich  publican  who  was  very  anx¬ 
ious  to  get  a  sight  of  him.  But  he  was  too  short  to 
overlook  the  crowd  that  surrounded  the  Saviour,  and 
unable,  so  great  was  the  pressure,  to  approach  him. 
Running  before  the  caravan,  he  climbed  up  into  a 
sycamore  tree  that  grew  by  the  road-side.  Christ 
perceived  him,  and,  perhaps  aware  that  he  was  fa¬ 
vorably  disposed  towards  the  truth,  called  him  down 
and  proposed  to  spend  the  day  with  him  as  his 
guest.  This  unexpected  attention  from  Christ  deeply 
affected  and  won  the  heart  of  the  publican.  He 
listened  attentively  to  the  discourse  of  his  guest,  and 
soon  declared  himself  penitent,  and  resolved  to  make 
restitution  for  his  unjust  exactions,  and  to  lead  a  new 
life. 

Some  of  the  company,  who  saw  Christ  leave  the 
caravan  to  go  and  spend  the  day  with  Zaccheus,  mur- 
mered  that  he  was  gone  to  be  guest  with  a  man  that 
is  a  sinner.”  Jesus  replied  to  this  complaint  that  he 


394 


PARABLE  OF  THE  POUNDS. 


[period 


was  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost,” 
and  that  this  publican  w^as  ^^a  son  of  Abraham,”  to 
whose  house  salvation  had  come. 

The  theme  which  now  most  occupies  the  minds  of 
the  disciples  is  the  advent  of  the  new  theocracy. 
They  are  within  a  day’s  march  of-Jerusalem.  Christ 
is  going  in  the  face  of  a  decree  for  his  death.  The 
strength  of  the  nation  will  be  assembled  to  observe 
the  passover.  A  large  proportion  of  the  people  are 
enthusiastic  in  their  admiration  of  Jesus  ;  and  he 
himself  intimates  that  the  final  catastrophe  and  cli¬ 
max  of  liis  work  is  at  hand. 

With  their  worldly  view  of  Christ’s  plans,  and  ex¬ 
pectation  of  a  political  revolution,  they  can  not  doubt 
that  ^^the  kingdom”  is  near. 

To  correct  their  impressions  and  intimate  the  long 
process  yet  to  be  gone  through,  Christ  utters  the  para¬ 
ble  of  the  nobleman  who  went  to  the  seat  of  a  great 
empire  to  receive  a  crown,  as  king  over  his  country¬ 
men. 

At  his  departure  the  nobleman  committed  an  equal 
sum  of  money  to  each  of  his  servants,  as  capital  upon 
which  they  were  to  work.  After  his  departure,  his 
countrymen  sent  an  ambassador  to  the  same  court  to 
prevent  his  coronation,  declaring  that  they  ‘‘  will  not 
have  this  man  to  reign”  over  them. 

He  was,  however,  successful ;  returned  with  regal 
authority,  called  his  servants  to  account,  assigned 
them  stations  of  trust  and  honor  proportioned  to 


VI.] 


JESUa.  GOES  TO  BETHANY. 


395 


the  improvement  made  upon  the  loan,  utterly  discard¬ 
ing  the  indolent  servant  who  buried  his  capital ;  and 
gave  an  order  for  the  immediate  execution  of  his 
enemies. 

The  evident  import  of  the  parable  is,  that 
Christ  is  not  yet  ready  to  erect  his  throne,  that  he  is 
first  to  leave  the  world,  be  opposed  by  his  enemies, 
leave  his  servants  to  labor  in  his  behalf,  and  at 
length  return  to  judge  his  enemies,  reward  his 
faithful  servants,  and  henceforth  reign  in  righteous¬ 
ness.  . 

Peculiar  emphasis  is  laid  upon  the  activity  of  the 
disciples.  Their  place  in  the  kingdom  will  depend 
upon  what  they  do  in  their  Master’s  absence.  They 
may  not  retire  into  obscurity,  bury  their  talents, 
be  harmless  cyphers  in  the  church ;  they  must  work. 

He  who  does  not  well  employ  what  God  has 

✓ 

given  him  shall  lose  even  what  he  has ;  but  he  who 
faithfully  uses  his  gifts  shall  receive  a  still  higher 
trust. 

[John  11:  65—57;  12:  1,  9—11;  Luke  19:  28.] 

It  was  now  the  beginning  of  passover-week,  and 
already  many  had  assembled  at  Jerusalem  to  ‘‘purify 
themselves”  before  the  feast.  On  all  hands  were  ear¬ 
nest  enquiries  and  conjectures  concerning  Jesus. 
“  What  think  ye,  that  he  will  not  come  to  the  feast  ?  ” 
was  a  common  question.  Those  who  hoped  to  see  him 
doubted  whether  he  would  brave  the  Sanhedrim,  who 


396  JESUS  GOES  TO  BETHANY.  [PERIOD 

had  published  an  edict  that  if  any  one  knew  where 
Jesus  was,  he  should  inform  them,  in  order  that  they 
might  arrest  him. 

Whether  Christ  spent  the  Jewish  sabbath,  Satur¬ 
day,  in  Jericho  and  came  to  Bethany  on  Sunday,  or 
came  to  the  latter  place  on  Friday,  can  not  be  deter¬ 
mined.  At  any  rate,  he  was  there  the  sixth  day  be¬ 
fore  the  passover.  As  usual,  he  stopped  at  the  house 
of  Lazarus  and  the  sisters.  This  house  was  much 
frequented  at  the  time  by  persons  from  the  city  who 
came  to  see  Lazarus,  who  had  been  raised  from  death; 
and  the  numbers  greatly  increased  when  it  was  known 
that  Jesus  was  there.  The  testimony  furnished  by 
Lazarus  in  favor  of  Christ  wrought  so  effectively  that 
the  Sanhedrim  began  to  plot  also  against  his  life. 
Their  prowling  minions  were  on  the  alert ;  wily 
stratagems  were  laid.  ‘‘Hell  from  beneath  was 
moved”  against  the  “Lamb  of  God.”  He,  calm 
and  meek,  comes  forward  a  willing  victim.  In  the 
rocks  and  caves  of  Ephraim,  or  in  the  cities  of  Gali¬ 
lee,  he  might  have  still  found  peace  and  shelter.  But 
the  labors  of  his  toilsome  mission  were  hastening  to 
an  end  ;  he  had  yet  to  seal  his  testament  with  blood ; 
and  by  a  free  self-sacrifice  consummate  his  atone¬ 
ment.  His  time  had  come.  Henceforth  the  perse¬ 
cuted  will  fiee  no  more.  Knowing  “  the  things  that 
shall  befall”  him  at  Jerusalem,  he  comes  with  a  bold 
heart  to  suffer  the  worst.  His  great  purposes  are 
fast  ripening.  Who  can  tell  what  thoughts  throng 


VI.] 


JESUS  GOES  TO  BETHANY. 


897 


upon  his  mind,  this  Sunday  evening,  as  he  lies 
down  to  rest  in  the  house  of  his  friends  at  Bethany  ? 
One  day  of  the  last,  eventful  week  has  passed.  The 
remaining  days  are  big  with  interest. 


34 


PERIOD  VII. 


FROM  THE  TRIUMPHAL  ENTRY  TO  THE 

CRUCIFIXION. 


[Matt  21:  1—11;  14—17;  Mark  11 :  1—11;  Luke  19:  29—44; 

John  12 :  12—19.] 

Monday  witnessed  a  strange  scene  in  Jerusalem; 
a  scene  novel  and  exciting  to  spectators,  repugnant  to 
the  habits  and  feelings  heretofore  exhibited  by  Christ, 
and  astounding  to  his  enemies. 

In  the  morning  Bethany  was  filled  by  visitors  from 
the  city.  Multitudes  from  different  parts  of  the  land, 
who  had  heard  of  Jesus  and  his  miracles,  many  who 
had  before  seen  him  and  believed,  hearing  that  he  was 
at  Bethany,  came  out  to  see  him. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  he  proposed  to  go  him¬ 
self  into  the  city.  The  enthusiastic  multitude,  many 
of  whom  were  eager  to  hear  him  publicly  proclaimed 
king,  were  ready  to  accompany  him  as  his  retinue. 
Perhaps  the  better  to  avoid  the  pressure  of  the  crowd, 
and  to  heighten  the  effect  of  the  singular  demonstra- 


TRIUMPHAL  ENTRY  INTO  JERUSALEM. 


399 


tion  which  he  was  about  to  make,  in  accordance  with 
the  prediction  of  Zechariah,  he  mounted  an  unbroken 
ass-colt,  rudely  equipped  with  the  garments  of  some 
disciples,  and  started  for  the  city.  News  was  there 
received  of  his  approach,  and  crowd  after  crowd 
rushed  forth  to  meet  him.  Meeting  him,  they  joined 
the  procession,  strewing  the  road  with  their  garments 
and  palm-branches,  after  the  manner  of  welcoming  a 
royal  personage.  It  seemed  as  if  inspiration  had 
seized  the  assemblage. 

As  they  began  the  descent  of  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
the  joy  and  enthusiasm  of  the  disciples  became  irre¬ 
pressible,  and  they  began  to  shout  and  sing,  Ho¬ 
sanna  to  the  Son  of  David!  ”  The  multitude  caught 
their  fire  and  joined  the  strain,  crying  Blessed  is  he 
that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  :  Hosanna  in 
the  highest  I 

Some  Pharisees  who  had  joined  the  march,  looked 
on  indignant,  bitterly  saying  to  each  other,  Perceive 
ye  how  ye  prevail  nothing  ?  Behold  the  world  is  gone 
after  him.”  Then  approaching  Jesus,  with  a  show  of 
zeal  for  order  and  propriety,  they  asked  him  to  re¬ 
buke  and  silence  his  disciples.  Silence  them  1  if 
these  should  hold  their  peace,  the  stones  would  imme¬ 
diately  cry  out,”  is  his  reply.  This  demonstration 
has  a  significance ;  Pharisees  can  not  stop  it.  Alas, 
for  Jerusalem,  that  her  rulers  regard  it  so  bitterly. 

As  they  wind  down  the  mountain-side  which  over¬ 
looks  the  city,  Jesus  forgets  the  adulation  of  his  train, 


400  TRIUMPHAL  ENTRY  INTO  JERUSALEM.  [PERIOD 

and  is  lost  in  the  contemplation  of  that  doomed  city 
that  seeks  the  death  of  her  lord.  Tears  start  do^vn 
his  cheeks,  and,  as  if  unconscious  of  the  presence  of 
the  multitude,  he  breaks  out  in  pathetic  lamentation 
for  the  city,  predicting  minutely  the  ruin  which  a  few 
years  later  came  upon  her. 

Soon  Kidron  is  crossed,  and  the  city  gate  entered. 
Anon  the  whole  city  is  moved  and  agitated,  starting 
up  as  from  a  sleep  of  ages.  What  and  “  who  is 
this?”  is  the  oft-repeated  question.  To  which  it  is 
answered,  ‘‘this  is  Jesus,  the  prophet  of  Nazareth  in 
Galilee.”. 

Jesus,  as  usual,  immediately  seeks  the  temple,  and 
is  followed  by  the  admiring  people.  Here  are  collec¬ 
ted  “the  blind  and  the  lame,”  whom  he  heals.  Each 
miracle  increases  the  ardor  of  the  spectators  ;  and 
even  the  children  gather  around  him,  crying,  “  Ho¬ 
sanna  to  the  Son  of  David!  ”  As  he  remarks  to  the 
complaining  priests,  praise  is  perfected  “  out  of  the 
mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings.” 

Here,  in  a  worldly  sense,  is  the  culmination  of 
Christ's  mission.  Virtually  he  is  by  acclamation  pro¬ 
claimed  king  of  the  theocracy.  Despite  the  ban  of 
the  Sanhedrim,  he  is  by  the  assembled  nation  heralded 
into  the  royal  city  as  “Son  of  David.” 

Christ  himself  doubtless  attached  great  import¬ 
ance  to  the  above  event  as  a  confirmation  of  prophecy, 
and  a  public  declaration  of  his  Messiahship.  The 
manner  of  his  approach  also  symbolised  his  humility 


VII.] 


THE  BARREN  FIG  TREE. 


401 


and  the  peaceful  character  of  his  reign.  But  he 
well  knew  that  many  of  those  who  cried  Hosanna 
would  soon  turn  against  him.  He  had  no  thought  of 
reaping  political  advantage  from  this  ovation.  He 
would  by  no  means  engage  the  enthusiastic  people 
against  his  enemies.  Hence  he  sought  the  house  of 
prayer,  and  at  evening  quietly  retired  again  with  his 
little  band  of  disciples  to  Bethany.  A  few  hours  of  this 
w^orld’s  honor  sufficed  for  him.  As  night  came  on, 
the  city  settled  down  in  quiet ;  the  crowd  dispersed 
to  seek  lodgings ;  and  the  astonished,  enraged  San¬ 
hedrim  could  again  breathe  more  freely,  and  compose 
their  bewildered  wits  for  new  machinations. 


[Matt.  21;  12,  13,  18,  19;  Mark  11:  12—19;  Luke  19:  45—48.] 

A  miracle  of  peculiar  character  and  impressive 
significance  was  performed  on  Tuesday  morning,  as 
Jesus  with  his  disciples  returned  across  Mount  Olivet 
to  the  city.  Seeing  a  fig  tree  covered  with  foliage 
near  their  path,  and  being  hungry,  they  approach  it, 
seeking  fruit.  But  the  idle  tree  bears  nothing  more 
than  leaves.  Regarding  it  as  an  apt  type  of  the  Jew¬ 
ish  theocracy,  Jesus  resolved  to  make  it  also  a  symbol 
of  its  coming  ruin.  “  No  man  eat  fruit  of  thee  here¬ 
after  forever,”  said  he,  and  passed  on;  but  those 
blighting  words  passed  not.  Next  day  the  surprised 
disciples  found  the  tree  withered  and  dried  up  from 
ti'ic  roots.” 

Entering  again  the  temple,  Christ  passed  around 

34* 


402 


PURIFYING  THE  TEMPLE. 


[period 


through  its  courts,  rebuking  and  driving  out  the 
traders  and  money-changers,  overturning  their  tables, 
and  charging  them  no  longer  to  make  his  Father’s 
house  of  prayer”  a  den  of  thieves.”  So  vivid  was 
the  impression  of  his  prophetical  character,  and  so 
pungent  his  appeals  to  the  consciences  of  these  selfish 
men,  that  they  made  no  resistance.  Even  the  mali¬ 
cious  priests  and  scribes  could  only  look  on  in  impo¬ 
tent  rage,  for  so  greaft  was  the  admiration  of  the  mass 
of  the  people,  and  their  enthusiasm  in  Christ’s  behalf, 
that  the  authorities  dared  not  touch  him.  Their  only 
hope  now  was  in  either  secret  violence,  or  some  strat¬ 
agem,  by  which  to  change  the  feelings  of  the  capri¬ 
cious  multitude,  and  secure,  by  false  testimony,  an 
indictment  and  a  condemnation  that  might  wear  a 
show  of  justice  in  the  eyes  of  the  populace. 

They  are  doubtless  gratified  to-day  to  see  that  he 
does  not  seem  disposed  to  follow  up  the  impression  of 
yesterday,  and  hold  the  multitude  excited  by  new 
demonstrations.  They  doubt  not  that  the  zeal  of  the 
people  will  soon  abate  if  nothing  decisive  and  revolu¬ 
tionary  be  done  by  their  leader.  Christ  knows  this, 
and  designs  it.  Hence  he  shuns  everything  like  a 
political  manoeuvre,  confines  himself  to  the  temple  as  a 
religious  teacher,  or  retires  to  solitary  places  for  com¬ 
munion  with  his  disciples. 

The  purification  of  the  temple,  which  we  have  just 
noticed,  seems  to  be  a  repetition  of  what  he  had  done 
just  after  the  commencement  of  his  ministry,  if  in- 


VII.]  THE  BARREN  FIG  TREE.  403 

deed  it  be  not  a  diflferent  account  of  the  same  trans¬ 
action.  It  was  an  expressive  symbol  of  his  Messianic 
authority,  and  of  that  spiritual  purification  which  he 
proposed  to  effect  in  the  theocracy  and  the  world.  It 
also  exhibits  Christ’s  regard  for  existing,  religious  in¬ 
stitutions-  Radical  as  he  was,  herald  of  a  new  dis¬ 
pensation,  teaching  that  forms  and  organisms  were  of 
no  worth  compared  with  a  right  spirit,  he  yet  re¬ 
spected  the  institutions  of  his  country,  and  exhibited 
the  liveliest  zeal,  not  for  their  demolition,  but  for  their 
purification  and  prosperity. 

[Luke  21:  37,  38.] 

Tuesday  was  spent  in  the  temple  teaching  the  at¬ 
tentive  people  who  gathered  around  him.  The  night 
was  passed  somewhere  on  Olivet.  Early  on  Wednes¬ 
day  morning  the  court  of  the  temple  was  again 
thronged  by  an  eager  congregation.  These  were 
precious  days,  and  the  great  Teacher  made  the  most 
of  them.  It  was  his  last  opportunity  to  preach  in 
person  to  the  assembled  nation ;  the  interest  in 
his  discourses  deepened  from  day  to  day.  The  ser¬ 
mons  of  Wednesday  seem  more  like  the  labor  of  a 
year  than  of  a  day. 

[Matt.  21 :  20—22  ;  Mark  11 :  20—26  ;  Luke  17  :  5,  6.] 

On  Wednesday  morning  as  they  were  going  to  the 
city,  Peter  called  the  attention  of  Christ  to  the  with¬ 
ered  fig  tree,  surprised  at  the  influence  exerted  upon 
it  by  his  words. 


404  DEPUTATION  OF  PHARISEES.  [PERIOD 

This  furnished  occasion  for  Christ  to  remark  upon 
the  importance  of  faith  in  attempting  anything  diffi¬ 
cult.  Whatever  you  may  attempt  for  the  glory  of 
God,  believe  that  your  words  shall  be  fulfilled,  and  it 
shall  be  done ;  though  it  were  the  removing  of  this 
mountain,  or  this  sycamore  tree,  to  plant  them  in  the 
sea.  This  is  also  the  secret  of  prevailing  prayer. 

What  things  soever  ye  desire  when  ye  pray,  believe 
that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them.” 

[Matt.  21 :  23—32;  Mark  11:  27—33  ;  Luke  20  :  1—8.] 

When  Jesus  entered  the  temple  on  Wednesday 
morning,  he  was  met  by  a  deputation  of  the  chief 
priests,  scribes,  and  elders,”  who  were  resolved  upon 
having  some  clearer  explanation  and  understanding 
relative  to  Christ’s  plans  and  credentials.  Tell  us,” 
said  they  arrogantly,  ^‘by  what  authority  doest  thou 
these  things?  and  who  gave  thee  this  authority?” 

Perceiving  that  they  only  desired  to  ensnare  him, 
yet  nowise  disconcerted  by  their  arrogance,  Jesus  in 
turn  asked  them  a  question,  which  at  once  placed  them 
in  an  unpleasant  dilemma.  “  The  baptism  of  John, 
was  it  from  heaven,  or  of  men?  answer  me,”  says  he, 
with  decision. 

They  dared  not  deny  that  John  was  a  prophet,  for 
this  would  alienate  the  people,  who  generally  believed 
that  he  was ;  and  if  they  should  admit  his  propheti¬ 
cal  calling,  they  would  thus  admit  their  own  incon¬ 
sistency  in  rejecting  him.  Hence  they  refused  to  an- 


VII.] 


THE  WICKED  HUSBANDMEN. 


405 


swer  his  question ;  and  Christ  took^  their  evasion  as 
a  justification  of  himself  in  refusing  to  answer  theirs. 
Thus  he  foiled  them  on  the  start,  by  a  single  question ; 
and  immediately  began  the  labors  of  the  day. 

First,  he  related  a  parable  to  expose  the  unright¬ 
eousness  of  those  who  rejected  himself  and  his  herald, 
John.  The  scribes  and  priests  themselves  admitted 
that  a  man’s  conduct  was  more  important  than  his  pre¬ 
tensions  and  promises.  The  son  who  at  first  refused 
obedience,  but  afterward  repented  and  went,”  did 
the  will  of  his  father  ;  not  the  one  who  made  fair 
professions,  but  failed  in  the  fulfilment.  And  so,  said 
Christ,  is  it  with  you  who  reject  the  Baptist.  He  came 
in  the  way  of  righteousness,”  with  such  appeals 
that  even  publicans  and  sinners  believed,  but  ye  in 
your  self-righteousness  believed  him  not.  They  who 
are  regarded  as  most  reckless  and  hopeless  go  into 
the  kingdom  of  God  before  you.” 


[Matt  21  :  33—46;  Mark  12:  1—12;  Luke  20:  9—19.] 

This  was  followed  by  the  parable  of  the  wicked 
husbandmen,  which  strikingly  illustrates  the  conduct 
of  the  Jews  who  rejected  Christ  and  his  forerunners, 
the  prophets. 

The  husbandmen  who  hired  the  vineyard  of  an 
absent  land-holder  refuse  to  pay  the  rent,  and  murder 
the  collectors  one  after  another,  until  the  owner  sends 
his  son.  Hoping  to  secure  the  inheritance,  they  then 
kill  him.  ‘‘  What  shall,  therefore,  the  lord  of  the 


406  MARRIAGE  OF  THE  KING's  SON.  [PERIOD 

vineyard  do?’'  says  Christ  to  the  scribes  and  priests. 

He  will  come  and  destroy  the  husbandmen,  and  will 
give  the  vineyard  unto  others,”  is  their  prompt  reply, 
not  perceiving  the  drift  of  the  parable.  Jesus  adds, 
therefore  say  I  unto  you,  the  kingdom  of  God  (the 
theocracy)  shall  be  taken  from  you  and  given  to  a 
nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof.”  The  mur¬ 
der  of  the  son,  and  the  transfer  of  the  vineyard  to 
other  hands,  w^ere  prophetic  intimations  of  his  own  ap¬ 
proaching  death,  and  of  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  on 
account  of  their  wickedness.  We  see  how  clear  both 
his  own  sufferings  and  the  future  history  of  the  theoc¬ 
racy  lay  at  this  time  in  the  mind  of  Christ.  Him  the 
Jewish  hierarchy  had  already  rejected ;  but  the  re¬ 
jected  stone  was  to  be  the  corner-stone  of  God’s 
kingdom,  and  “  grind  to  powder”  those  upon  whom  it 
should  fall. 

This  application  of  the  parable  inflamed  anew  their 
rage,  but  fear  of  the  multitude,  who  for  the  most  part 
‘^took  him  for  a  prophet,”  restrained  them. 

[Matt.  22:  1—14.] 

Of  similar  import  is  the  parable  of  the  marriage 
feast.  The  first  invited  guests  refuse  to  come,  some 
treating  the  call  with  indifference,  others  cruelly  en¬ 
treating  and  murdering  the  king’s  servants  who  came 
to  bid  them. 

The  outraged  sovereign  thereupon  sends  out  an 
army  to  destroy  the  murderers  and  burn  their  city. 


VII.]  MARRIAGE  OF  THE  KING’S  SON.  407 

* 

And,  to  secure  guests  for  the  marriage,  he  sends  his 
servants  out  anywhere  and  everywhere  to  bring  in 
whomever  they  should  find,  bad  and  good.”  Thus 
the  Jews,  first  called  of  God,  rejected  the  invitation 
sent  by  the  prophets,  and  killed  in  some  cases  the 
messengers.  As  God  makes  the  feast  in  honor  of 
Christ,  the  Son  is  not  in  this  case  sent  out.  The 
burning  of  the  city,  and  the  collection  of  guests  pro¬ 
miscuously,  signify  the  predicted  destruction  of  the 
theocracy,  and  the  subsequent  calling  of  all  nations 
to  the  gospel-feast. 

After  the  guests  have  been  assembled,  an  exami¬ 
nation  takes  place,  and  one  is  ejected  for  the  want  of 
a  wedding  garment.  This  intimates  the  sifting  of  the 
visible  church,  and  the  rejection  of  those  v/ho  for¬ 
mally  accept  the  calls  of  God  without  a  right  disposi¬ 
tion  and  change  of  heart.  Many  are  called  but  few 
chosen.”  A  wedding  garment  is  offered  to  every  one, 
but  some  neglect  to  put  it  on ;  such  shall  be  ‘‘  cast 
into  outer  darkness.” 

[Matt.  22  :  15--22;  Mark  12  :  13—17;  Luke  20;  20—26.] 

A  new  device  was  now  introduced  by  Christ's  ene¬ 
mies,  by  which  they  hoped  to  get  a  ground  of  prose¬ 
cution  against  him. 

The  Pharisees  and  Herodians,  a  political  party 
which  represented  the  Roman  interest  in  Judea,  joined 
together  and  proposed,  through  cunning  delegates,  a 
question  which  they  supposed  would  require  such  an 


408  TRIBUTE  TO  C^SAR.  [PERIOD 

answer  as  to  involve  him  in  trouble.  Pretending 
great  respect  for  his  judgment,  and  prefacing  their 
address  with  compliments,  they  ask  Jesus  ‘^whether 
it  is  lawful  to  give  tribute  to  Caesar?”  Should  he 
answer  in  the  negative,  the  Herodians  could  accuse 
him  of  hostility  to  the  government ;  should  he  answer 
in  the  affirmative,  the  Pharisees  could  represent  him 
to  the  Jewish  people  as  hostile  to  their  liberty. 

Discerning  their  craft,  Christ  reproves  their  hy¬ 
pocrisy,  and  asks  them  to  show  him  a  yenny  or  dena¬ 
rius,  a  Roman  coin  bearing  the  image  an  1  name  of 
Caesar.  Whose  image  and  superscription  is  J.iis  ?  ” 
he  asks.  ‘‘  Caesar's,”  is  the  reply.  Then  give  to 
Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar’s,  and  to  God 
the  things  that  are  God’s,”  is  his  significant  and 
instructive  decision.  The  currency  implied  their  sub¬ 
jection  and  Caesar’s  dominion.  Christ  would  take  no 
interest  in  subverting  civil  institutions.  While  the 
government  existed,  he  would  support  it.  Christianity 
regards  the  state  of  men’s  hearts,  not  their  civil  and 
external  connections.  The  Christian  sustains  law  and 
order  wherever  he  is  not  called  upon  to  compromise 
conscience.  The  injunction,  to  render  God  his  dues, 
is  peculiarly  significant  in  this  connection:  give  to 
Cmsar  that  which  bears  his  image ;  give  also  to  God 
that  which  bears  his  image,  yourselves. 

Confounded  by  his  answer,  the  crest-fallen  com¬ 
mittee  retire  in  silence. 


VII.] 


SADDUCEES. 


409 


[Matt.  22:  23—33;  Mark  12:  18—27;  Luke  20;  27—40.] 

Some  Sadducees,  who  witnessed  the  failure  of  the 
•  Pharisees  and  Herodians,  next  proposed  one  of  their 
test  questions,  expecting  to  puzzle  Jesus  on  the  sub¬ 
ject  of  the  resurrection. 

A  certain  woman,  said  they,  had  successively  seven 
husbands,  and  died  childless  ;  whose  wife  shall  she  be 
in  the  resurrection  ? 

Jesus  put  them  to  silence,  by  showing  that  their 
question  entirely  misapprehended  the  doctrine  of  a  fu¬ 
ture  life.  The  relations  of  the  present  life  shall  not 
be  transferred  to  that.  The  children  of  the  resurrec¬ 
tion  are  as  the  angels ;  they  neither  marry  nor  are 
given  in  marriageq  neither  can  they  die  any  more, 
for  they  are  the  children  of  God.’'  And,  according 
to  Moses,  whom  even  the  Sadducees  revered,  God  is 
^‘not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living.”  Not 
the  God  of  mere  transient  mortals,  but  of  those  who 
have  a  spirit  akin  to  his  own.  In  Moses’  day  he  de¬ 
clared  himself  to  be  the  God  of  Abraham;  not  of  a 
dead,  annihilated  Abraham,  but  of  the  glorified 
Abraham,  who  dwells  in  the  upper  kingdom. 

Some  of  the  scribes  present,  pleased  with  this  re¬ 
futation  of  the  Sadducees,  exclaimed,  Master,  thou 
hast  well  spoken.”  The  Sadducees  ventured  no  fur¬ 
ther.  Indeed  it  began  to  be  evident  that  nothing  was 
to  be  gained  to  the  cause  of  his  enemies  by  question¬ 
ing  him. 


35 


410 


MESSIAH  DAVID’S  SON. 


[PERIOD 


[Matt.  22 :  34—40 ;  Mark  12  :  28—34.] 

But  a  Pharisee  of  the  better  class  who  was  present 
put  a  question  for  the  sake  of  getting  Christ’s  opinion 
upon  a  subject  much  discussed  by  the  Pharisees,  to 
wit,  what  is  the  most  important  commandment  in  the 
law?  Christ  in  his  comprehensive  brevity  replied, 
that  the  first  and  greatest  commandment  is,  ‘‘  to  love 
God  supremely,”  and  the  second  is,  to  ‘‘  love  one’s 
neighbor  as  himself.” 

This  answer  was  approved  by  the  Pharisee,  who 
showed  himself  superior  to  the  formalism  of  his  order 
by  declaring  that  such  love  to  God  and  man  is  more 
efficacious  than  all  whole  burnt-offerings  and  sacri¬ 
fice.”  Pleased  with  his  candor  and  correct  view  of 
the  true  spirit  of  the  law,  Jesus  commended  the 
Pharisee  as  one  who  was  near  “  the  kingdom  of  hea¬ 
ven.”  Had  he  exercised  the  love  which  he  approved 
in  theory,  he  would  have  been  indeed  a  child  of  God 
and  heir  of  the  kingdom. 

[Matt.  22  :  41—46  ;  Mark  12  :  35—37  ;  Luke  20  :  41—44.] 

Having  silenced  those  who  sought  to  entangle  him 
by  intricate  questions,  Christ  next  put  a  question  to 
them,  touching  the  divinity  of  Messiah.  Their  idea 
of  Messiah  was  simply  as  Son  of  David.”  Jesus 
asked  them  how,  if  Christ  were  only  David’s  son,  the 
Psalmist,  by  inspiration  in  Psalm  110, calls  him  Lord? 
David  being  commonly  regarded  as  the  author.  The 
question  does  not  deny  the  Davidic  descent  of  Mes- 


VII.] 


AGAINST  THE  PIIAEISEES. 


411 


siah,  but  intimates  also  a  higher  genealogy  which 
Christ's  captious  hearers  could  not  explain. 


[Mark  12:  38,  39  ;  Luke  20;  45,  46  ;  Matt.  23:  1—12.] 

Having  thus  ended  the  controversy  with  his  ene¬ 
mies,  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples,  ‘^in  the  audience  of 
all  the  people,  beware  of  the  scribes,"  who  cherish  and 
exhibit  a  vain,  selfish  ambition.  As  the  expounders 
and  executives  of  the  law,  sitting  in  Moses'  seat,  obey 
them  ;  but  shun  their  example.  They  bind  heavy  bur¬ 
dens  upon  others,  but  they  touch  them  not  with  a  fin¬ 
ger  of  their  own.  Whatever  good  thing  they  do  is 
done  ‘‘to  be  seen  of  men."  Their  very  garments  are 
fashioned  to  attract  admiration ;  they  covet  seats  of 
honor,  and  sonorous  titles.  In  these  things  imitate 
them  not.  Call  no  man  master  or  father ;  and  suffer 
not  others  to  address  you  by  such  appellations.  God 
is  your  common  Father,  Christ  your  Master ;  and 
your  true  exaltation  is  your  humility. 


[Matt.  23:  13 — 39;  Mark  12:  40;  Luke  20:  47.  J 

Speaking  of  the  hypocrisy  of  the  Pharisees,  Jesus 
kindles  with  a  holy  indignation  and  directs  to  them  a 
most  cutting  address.  Every  sentence  begins  with  a 
“woe."  It  is  startling  to  hear  such  denunciations 
break  from  the  lips  of  the  meek  and  merciful  Jesus ; 
but  from  this  and  other  passages  of  his  discourses  we 
may  form  an  idea  of  him  in  the  capacity  of  judge,  as 
he  will  at  length  be  revealed. 


412 


PHARISEES  DENOUNCED. 


[period 


The  leading  characteristics  of  the  Pharisees  here 
inveighed  against  are,  their  selfishness,  leading  to  ex¬ 
tortion  ;  their  hypocrisy,  exhibited  in  great  zeal  for  the 
externals  of  religion,  without  the  spirit ;  and  their 
deception,  folly,  and  stupidity  manifested  in  the  fabri¬ 
cation  of  absurd  traditions,  misinterpreting  scripture, 
and  misleading  the  people.  His  specifications  give  us 
a  graphic  delineation  of  their  character  and  practices. 
They  ‘Hithe  mint  and  fenneP'  and  omit  ‘^judgment 
mercy,  and  faith’’.  .  .  ‘‘strain  out  a  gnat,  and  swallow 
a  camel”.  .  .  wash  the  “  outside  of  the  cups  and  plat¬ 
ter, ’’while  they  put  within  it  the  fruits  of  their  “  ex¬ 
tortion  and  excess”.  .  .  “build  the  tombs  of  the  pro¬ 
phets,”  deprecating  the  persecutions  of  their  fathers, 
while  at  the  same  time  they  cherish  the  same  spirit, 
and  are  ready  to  “  persecute,  scourge,  kill,  and  cru¬ 
cify”  the  prophets  of  the  new  dispensation.  “Whited 
sepulchres”  full  of  uncleanness,  he  exclaims,  “gene¬ 
ration  of  vipers,”  guilty  of  the  blood  of  all  the  proph¬ 
ets,  “  how  can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell?” 

Bitter,  prophetic  words,  wrung  bitterly  from  gra-  . 
cious  lips.  Even  while  he  denounces,  his  heart  yearns 
over  the  self-destroyers,  and  he  breaks  out  in  one  of 
the  most  moving  strains  of  pathetic  regret.  “  0  Je¬ 
rusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the  prophets  and 
stonest  them  which  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often  would 
I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen 
gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would 
not !  ”  It  is  now  too  late;  you  have  already  rejected 


Yll.]  THE  AVIDOAV’S  TAA'O  MITES.  413 

the  only  Saviour.  Behold,  your  house  is  left  unto 
you  desolate !  ”  Ye  shall  see  me  no  more  until,  in 
my  final,  triumphal  advent,  ye  shall  say,  ‘‘Blessed  is 
he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  !  ” 

With  these  mournful,  prophetic  AAwds,  gilded  Avith 
one  faint  streak  of  hope,  closed  the  public  preaching 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  in  the  JeAvish  temple.  His  re¬ 
maining  discourses  Avere  given  more  privately  to  his 
disciples  and  others  Avho  sought  him  in  retirement. 

[Mark  12  :  41 — 44;  Luke  21 :  1 — 4.] 

Occupied  as  his  mind  had  been  Avith  the  false  pre¬ 
tences  of  piety  exhibited  by  the  Pharisees,  it  seemed 
to  gladden  the  heart  of  Christ  A^Len  he  saAA^,  just  at 
the  close  of  his  discourse,  “a  certain  poor  AvidoAv’' 
work  her  Avay  up  to  the  treasury  of  the  temple,  and 
with  true  devotion  cast  in  her  tAvo  mites,  “  all  her 
living.”  Here  was  a  sincere  person.  It  Avasno  sacri¬ 
fice  for  the  rich  to  “cast  in  of  their  abundance,”  but 
to  cast  in  the  very  last  mite,  and  do  it  unostentatiously, 
exhibited  a  moral  principle  far  more  precious  than 
gold.  Christ  approved,  and  by  his  notice  made  the 
widow’s  act  immortal  in  history. 

[Matt.  24 :  1,  2 ;  Mark  13:1,2;  Luke  21 :  6,  6.] 

As  they  left  the  temple,  the  disciples  called  the 
attention  of  Jesus  to  the  magnificence  of  the  temple 
buildings,  the  massive  and  costly  stones  and  superb 
ornaments  of  the  structure.  Reverting  to  the  dark. 


414  BELIEVING  RVLERS.  [EENIOD 

prophetic  subject  of  which  he  had  just  before  spoken, 
he  told  them  sadly  that  in  the  coming  ruin  this  splen¬ 
did  structure  should  be  demolished,  and  not  one  stone 
be  left  upon  another.  Such  should  be  the  result  of 
the  unbelief  of  the  Jewish  rulers,  and  the  sins  of  the 
nation. 

[John  12:  37—42.] 

The  Evangelist  here  indulges  in  a  reflection  upon 
the  results  of  Christ’s  labors.  ‘‘  Though  he  had  done 
so  many  miracles  before  them,  yet  they  believed  not 
on  him.”  As  Isaiah  had  said,  the  light  and  truth 
communicated  to  them  only  hardened  their  hearts  and 
blinded  their  eyes ;  they  would  not  believe,  and  with 
their  obstinate  unwillingness  could  not  be  convinced 
even  by  a  miracle-working  Christ. 

Still  it  is  affirmed  that  even  among  the  chief 
rulers”  many  did  really  believe  on  Christ,  but  through 
fear  of  excommunication  were  restrained  from  con¬ 
fessing  their  belief.  Their  minds  were  forced  to  ad¬ 
mit  his  supremacy,  but  they  had  not  the  heart  to  re¬ 
nounce  the  favor  of  the  world  for  his  sake. 

[John  12:  20—22,  44—50,  23—36.] 

Amongst  those  who  were  favorably  disposed  to¬ 
wards  Christ,  and  desired  a  closer  communion,  were 
some  foreigners  who  had  come  to  attend  the  Jewish 
feast.  As  we  have  before  seen,  the  better  part  of  the 
pagan  world  were  looking  with  peculiar  interest  to  the 


VII.]  GENTILE  BELIEVERS.  415 

Monotheism  of  the  Hebrews.  Christ  seemed  to  them 
to  be  more  cosmopolitan  than  other  Jew’s,  and  they 
were  favorably  impressed  by  all  that  they  heard  of 
him. 

Some  Greeks  of  this  character,  with  a  degree  of 
diffidence,  sought  an  interview  with  him,  about  the 
time  now  under  review’. 

Fragments  of  Christ’s  remarks  at  this  interview 
are  recorded.  He  dwelt  with  emphasis  upon  the  fact 
that  he  was  the  manifestation  of  God ;  and  that  he 
spoke  the  words  of  God ;  words  which  convey  life¬ 
everlasting  to  the  believer. 

Regarding  these  Gentiles  as  pledges  of  the  suc¬ 
cess  of  his  gospel,  and  the  churches  that  should  be 
gathered  in  his  name, — and  also  their  desire  to  see 
him  as  an  indication  that  his  own  personal  labors 
were  nearly  ended, — he  exclaimed,  “  The  hour  is  come 
that  the  Son  of  Man  should  be  glorified,”  glorified  as 
the  Saviour  of  the  world.  Through  sufferings  and 
death  he  shall  pass  to  glory,  as  the  wheat  springs 
from  the  buried  seed.  And  as  he  is  to  triumph  by 
suffering,  so  must  they  who  would  serve  him  and  be 
honored  of  God  with  eternal  life  hold  their  present 
life  cheap,  and  follow  their  Master. 

The  thought  of  his  approaching  sacrifice  now 
presses  heavily  upon  him,  and  he  adds,  ^‘Now  is  my 
soul  troubled.”  The  human  element  shrinks  from  the 
cross  that  stands  before  it ;  yet  his  firm  purpose  is 
not  shaken:  he  wull  not  say,  “  Father,  save  me  from 


416  THE  VOICE  EROM  HEAVEN.  [PERIOD 

this  hour/’  No,  ‘‘  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the 
world ;  ”  to  make  this  sacrifice.  To  this  he  had  con¬ 
stantly  looked  forward  as  the  consummation  of  his 
great  enterprise,  and  he  would  not  retreat.  Collect¬ 
ing  again  his  noble  energies,  he  subdues  and  calms 
the  troubled  emotions,  and  says,  in  meek  submission, 
“  Father,  glorify  thy  name !  ”  The  victim  is  ready  for 
the  crowning  sacrifice. 

In  answer  to  this  exclamation,  and  in  approval  of 
this  triumph  of  the  divine  purpose  over  the  human 
weakness,  a  voice  from  heaven  replies,  I  have  both 
glorified  it”  (my  name)  in  the  life  and  works  of  the 
Son,  and  will  glorify  it  again”  through  his  suffer¬ 
ings  and  death. 

This  voice  all  present  heard ;  but  to  those  who 
were  not  in  sympathy  with  Christ  it  sounded  like 
inarticulate  thunder.  He  interpreted  it  as  a  commu¬ 
nication  given,  not  for  his  sake,  but  to  establish  their 
faith.  The  import  of  it,  he  said,  was  that  “  the  prince 
of  this  world  shall  now  be  cast  out.”  Being  lifted  up 
from  the  earth  (intimating  the  manner  of  his  death), 
1  will  draw  all  men  unto  me.”  The  Father’s 
name  will  be  glorified  in  the  triumph  effected  by  the 
death  of  the  Son. 

To  some  of  the  by-standers  the  death  of  Messiah 
seemed  an  absurdity,  and  they  enquired  who  this 
“  Son  of  Man”  was  that  he  said  must  be  “lifted  up.” 
Not  disposed  to  arouse  their  prejudice  he  answered 
indirectly,  admonishing  them  to  walk  in  the  light 


VII.] 


THE  SECOND  ADVENT. 


417 


while  it  was  with  them,  in  order  that  they  might  be 
the  children  of  the  light. 


[Matt.  24:  S — 14;  Mark  13:  3 — 13;  Luke  21:  5 — 19.] 

After  the  above,  Christ  accompanied  only  by  the 
twelve,  perhaps  only  by  Peter  and  James,  John 
and  Andrew,’'  purposely  avoiding  all  others,  went 
over  the  valley  and  up  the  side  of  Olivet,  and  sat 
doAvn  on  the  height  overlooking  the  temple  and  city. 

As  they  look  down  from  this  elevation  upon  the 
magnificent,  but  doomed  city,  the  remarks  of  Christ 
relative  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  its  temple 
recur  forcibly  to  the  minds  of  the  disciples,  and  they 
ask  him  more  definitely  concerning  the  time  of  these 
things,  the  signs  that  shall  precede  his  coming  to 
judge  the  iniquitous  nation  ;  and  concerning  the  end 
of  the  world.” 

These  questions  engage  Christ  in  a  protracted  dis¬ 
course  upon  these  great  subjects.  He  dwells  particu¬ 
larly  upon  the  events  that  are  to  precede  the  destruc¬ 
tion  of  the  theocracy,  and  the  course  that  should  be 
pursued  by  his  disciples.  At  times  he  also  seems  to 
run  forward  and  discourse  of  the  final  judgment  and 
consummation  of  the  affairs  of  this  world,  making  no 
clear  distinctions  between  the  two  events.  Indeed,  as 
he  tells  them,  the  precise  time  of  his  advent  for  judg¬ 
ment  is  unknown  except  to  the  Father,  But  many 
things  are  specified  that  must  first  occur ;  many  signs 
that  shall  immediately  precede  the  last  things. 


418  THE  SECOND  ADVENT.  [PERIOD 

He  begins  by  cautioning  them  against  false  Christs, 
of  whom  there  shall  be  many. 

Wars,  famines,  pestilences,  and  earthquakes  shall 
precede  the  downfall  of  the  theocracy;  ‘‘fearful  sights 
and  great  signs  from  heaven”  shall  also  be  seen: 
“these  are  the  beginnings  of  sorrows,”  but  “the  end 
is  not  yet.” 

Great  persecutions  of  Christians  shall  take  place. 
The  disciples  shall  be  beaten  in  the  synagogues, 
brought  before  civil  authorities,  betrayed  by  relatives 
and  apostate  professors  of  Christianity,  of  whom  there 
shall  be  many,  “  hated  of  all  nations,”  “  delivered  up 
to  be  afflicted”  and  killed. 

False  prophets  shall  deceive  the  people ;  amid 
abounding  iniquity the  love  of  many  shall  wax 
cold;  ”  “but  he  that  shall  endure  unto  the  end,”  ad¬ 
here  firmly  to  Christ,  despite  deceivers  and  persecu¬ 
tors,  “shall  be  saved.”  And  notwithstanding  the  ex¬ 
treme  persecutions  and  apostacy,  “  the  gospel  must  be 
published  among  all  nations”  before  the  end  of  the 
theocracy  shall  come. 

[Matt.  24:  15—42;  Mark  13:  14—37;  Luke  21 :  20—36.] 

Here  follow  the  immediate  precursors  of  the  utter 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  a  lively,  prophetic  des¬ 
cription  of  that  terrible  tragedy  enacted  forty  years 
later  by  the  Romans,  under  Titus  and  Adrian.  The 
signal  for  the  retreat  of  the  elect  shall  be  the  plant¬ 
ing  of  “  the  abomination  of  desolation,  spoken  of  by 


VII.] 


END  PREDICTED. 


419 


Daniel  the  prophet,  in  the  holy  place.’'  Immediately 
after  that  shall  come  tribulation,  such  as  was  not 
since  the  beginning  of  the  world.”  Tribulation  so 
great,  that  except  those  days  should  be  shortened, 
there  should  no  flesh  be  saved  ;  but  for  the  elect’s 
sake,  those  days  shall  be  shortened.”  At  the  same 
time  shall  arise  many  false  Christs  (as  history  de¬ 
clares  was  the  fact),  seeking  to  lead  the  people  astray, 
to  their  ruin. 

Even  the  powers  of  nature  shall  manifest  a  sym¬ 
pathy  with  the  great  movements  of  Providence.  Sun, 
moon,  and  stars,  figuratively  if  not  literally,  shall  fail, 
‘^and  the  powers  of  the  heavens  be  shaken.”  Then 
shall  ‘Hhe  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn”  when  they  be¬ 
hold  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  Man”  coming  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven  to  gather  out  his  elect  and  judge  his 
enemies. 

These  shall  be  the  signs  by  which  it  may  be 
known  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  nigh  at  hand.” 
Surely  as  the  bursting  fig  leaves  betoken  summer, 
shall  these  things  betoken  the  ruin  of  the  Hebrew 
nation.  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away  sooner 
than  these  predictions  fail.  And  their  accomplish¬ 
ment  shall  be  before  this  generation  pass  away,  though 
the  precise  time  no  man  or  angel,  not  even  the 
Son,  but  the  Father  only,”  knows. 

The  advent  of  the  Son  of  Man  shall  be  sudden. 
As  the  flood  in  the  days  of  Noah  came  down  suddenly 
and  swept  away  the  old  world  in  the  midst  of  their 


420  WARNINGS.  [PERIOD 

mirth  and  banqueting  and  business ;  so,  like  the 
springing  of  a  snare,  shall  that  day  of  doom  come 
upon  those  who  do  not  watch  and  pray. 

[Matt.  24 :  43— 51 ;  26:1—30.] 

Changing  the  figure,  the  Son  of  Man  shall  come 
like  a  thief  in  the  night ;  no  calculation  can  be  made 
for  his  appearance ;  the  only  safety  is  in  being  al 
ways  ready.  Or  if  that  figure  seem  harsh,  he  shall 
come  as  an  absent  master,  who  had  bidden  his  servant 
watch  constantly  for  his  return.  If  the  servant  be 
found  at  his  post,  he  shall  be  promoted ;  if  he  give 
himself  to  carnal  enjoyments,  he  shall  be  “  cut  asun¬ 
der,”  and  have  his  portion  where  shall  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth.”  Or,  taking  another  figure, 
the  advent  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  like  the  coming 
of  a  bridegroom  at  midnight.  And  the  church  may 
be  likenened  to  ten  virgins  waiting  for  him  ;  five  of 
wdiom  w^ere  wise,  and  five  foolish.”  The  wise  had  oil 
provided  to  replenish  their  lamps  or  torches,  when  the 
signal  of  the  bridegroom’s  approach  was  given,  and 
were  ready  to  go  forth  and  meet  him,  and  with  him 
enter  into  the  festal  house.  The  foolish  had  made  no 
adequate  provision  of  oil,  their  lamps  were  gone  out, 
and  before  they  could  replenish  them,  the  marriage 
procession  had  gone  in,  ^^and  the  door  was  shut.” 

Or,  again,  the  waiting  church  may  be  likened  to 
the  servants  of  one  who  had  ^ne  into  a  far  coun¬ 
try,  and  who  at  his  departure  gave  to  each  of  them 


421 


VII.]  BE  READY. 

« 

a  sum  of  money  proportioned  to  his  ability  as  a  finan¬ 
cier. 

With  one  exception  the  servants,  during  their 
master’s  absence,  doubled  the  amount,  and  upon  his 
return,  received  promotion. 

The  one,  however,  who  had  received  least,  being 
of  course  the  one  of  smallest  ability,  buried  his  tal-, 
ent,  and  at  his  lord’s  return,  presented  him  only  what 
he  had  received  years  before. 

His  lord,  indignant  at  his  idleness,  took  from  him 
what  he  had  and  gave  it  to  the  one  who  made  the  best 
use  of  his  trust,  and  directed  to  cast  the  unprofitable 
servant  ‘‘into  outer  darkness.” 

This  parable  closely  resembles  that  of  the  ser¬ 
vants  who  received  each  a  pound  to  occupy  for  their 
master.  But  in  this  case  the  gifts  vary  according  to 
the  abilities  of  the  receivers;  and  the  truth  illustra¬ 
ted  is  that  a  man’s  merit  depends  upon  his  faithful¬ 
ness  in  his  appropriate  sphere,  and  not  upon  the 
greatness  of  his  gifts. 

It  is  noticeabe  that  the  idler  is  the  one  of  smallest 
ability  and  gifts,  who  should,  therefore,  be  the  more 
vigilant ;  but  is,  instead,  timid  ^and  discouraged  and 
does  nothing. 

Both  of  the  above  parables  show  the  importance 
of  prudence,  fidelity,  and  constant  readiness  for  the 
advent  of  the  judge.  The  foolish  virgins  and  the  sloth¬ 
ful  servant  are  monuments  of  warning  for  the  world. 

36 


422 


THE  JUDGMENT. 


[period 


[Luke  25:  31—46.] 

The  allusion  in  the  latter  part  of  the  above  dis¬ 
course  was  evidently  to  Christ’s  final  advent  to  judge 
the  world.  In  the  same  strain  he  proceeds  to  deline¬ 
ate  the  characteristic  features  of  the  last  judgment, 
and  particularly  the  grounds  on  which  the  sentence 
of  each  person  is  to  be  determined.  The  judgment 
seems  also  to  relate  particularly  to  professed  believers ; 
and  the  distinction  is  between  true  believers  and 
hypocrites. 

The  leading  principle  upon  which  the  judgment  is 
conducted  is  that  no  religion  is  acceptable  which  does 
not  exhibit  itself  in  works  of  love.  Love  is  every¬ 
thing  ;  and  a  true  love  will  manifest  itself  in  action. 
Christ  and  his  members  being  virtually  one,  he  re¬ 
gards  deeds  of  kindness  done  for  them  and  from  love 
to  them  as  his,  as  done  for  himself,  and  rewards  the 
doer  accordingly. 

The  drapery  and  filling  out  of  the  parable  exhibit 
many  pleasing  and  important,  though  subordinate, 
thoughts.  We  may  name  the  heavenly  attendants', 
the  complete  separation  of  the  righteous  and  the 
wucked,  the  humility  of  the  righteous,  and  the  self- 
justification  of  the  wicked,  and,  lastly,  the  eternal 
and  unchangeable  destinies  allotted  them. 

Noteworthy  also  is  the  thought  that  the  king¬ 
dom”  was  prepared  for  the  righteous  ‘‘from  the  foun¬ 
dation  of  the  world.” 


VII.] 


JUDAS. 


423 


[Matt.  26  :  1—16 ;  Mark  14  :  1—11 ;  Luke  22  :  1—6.] 

In  such  discourse  passed  the  fourth  day  of  this 
eventful  week.  As  evening  comes  on,  Jesus  and  his 
disciples  descend  the  mountain  eastward  to  Bethany. 
By  the  way  he  tells  them,  that  within  two  days  more 
he  is  to  be  ‘^betrayed  to  be  crucified.'' 

Meantime  the  Sanhedrim  and  their  party  were 
busy.  At  a  special  meeting,  held  at  the  house  of 
Caiaphas  for  this  purpose,  measures  were  discussed 
for  putting  Jesus  out  of  the  way,  by  secret  process  or 
assassination.  But  even  this  they  feared  to  do  during 
the  feast,  lest  there  should  be  a  sedition  raised  by  the 
people.  Jesus  during  the  day-time  had  been  gene¬ 
rally  surrounded  by  a  multitude,  and  his  nights  were 
spent  out  of  the  city,  they  knew  not  where.  No  sat¬ 
isfactory  opportunity  as  yet  offered  for  an  attack.  An 
agent  was  needed  who  might  inform  them  of  the  place 
where,  and  time  when,  Jesus  could  be  found  in  retire¬ 
ment.  Such  an  agent  soon  appeared,  to  their  great 
gratification,  in  the  perfidious  Judas. 

Judas  must  ever  be  regarded  as  the  ideal  traitor; 
and  it  is  difiicult  to  analyze  such  an  anomalous  char¬ 
acter.  Yet  he  probably  acted  out  one  common  phase 
of  humanity.  Many  who  think  of  him  with  horror 
might,  under  like  circumstances,  have  done  as  he  did. 
We  may  conceive  of  him  as  at  first  no  less  promising 
than  the  other  disciples,  though  more  self-willed,  cov¬ 
etous,  and  passionate.  The  twelve  were  all  more  or 
less  selfish  and  ambitious,  and  could  never,  to  the  end 


424 


JUDAS. 


[PERIOD 


of  Christ’s  ministry,  renounce  the  hope  of  sharing 
with  him  the  administration  of  a  worldly  kingdom. 
But  under  Christ’s  instruction,  the  eleven  gradually 
became  more  spiritual  in  their  views  and  hopes,  and  a 
more  pure  and  disinterested  love  took  possession  of 
them.  With  Judas  it  was  otherwise.  His  business 
habits  secured  him  the  stewardship  of  Christ’s  family, 
and  pampered  his  covetousness.  The  refusal  of  Christ 
to  assume  a  crown,  and  place  himself  at  the  head  of 
the  political  theocracy,  probably  disappointed  and 
vexed  him.  Destitute  of  the  spirit  of  his  Master,  he 
grew  restless  and  reckless.  He  may  have  hoped,  as 
men  grown  desperate  in  suspense  often  do,  to  bring 
things  to  a  crisis  and  hasten  the  developments  of 
providence.  There  are  also  indications  that  his 
treachery  was  enacted  partly  under  the  impulse  of  sud¬ 
den  anger,  occasioned  by  a  rebuke  administered  by 
Christ  at  the  supper  in  Bethany. 

One  Simon  of  Bethany,  who  had  probably  been 
cured  of  leprosy  by  Jesus,  made  a  supper  in  his  honor, 
to  which  were  invited  Jesus  and  his  disciples,  and 
Lazarus  who  had  been  restored  to  life.  While  reclin¬ 
ing  at  table,  the  devout  and  pensive  Mary,  sister 
of  Lazarus,  took  occasion,  in  accordance  with  a  cus¬ 
tom  of  her  age,  to  express  her  profound  admiration 
of  Christ,  by  pouring  upon  his  head  and  feet  a  box  of 
costly  perfume.  Judas,  in  accordance  with  his  char¬ 
acter,  unable  to  appreciate  Mary’s  feelings,  and  aware 
that  Christ  ordinarily  disapproved  of  formal  parade 


VII.] 


JUDAS. 


425 


and  display,  ventured  to  complain  of  the  useless  sac¬ 
rifice.  This  spikenard  might  have  been  sold  for 
more  than  three  hundred  pence  and  given  to  the  poor.” 
Christ,  however,  approved  the  maiden’s  devotion,  and 
rebuked  the  parsimonious  spirit  that  would  count  so 
miserly  the  cost  of  reverence.  Christ,  pre-eminently 
the  friend  of  the  poor,  does  not  disapprove  of  costly 
demonstrations  in  his  honor  at  appropriate  times. 
For  Mary  this  was  an  appropriate  time.  “  She  is  come 
aforehand  to  anoint  my  body  to  the  burying,”  says 
Christ ;  and  ‘‘  wheresoever  this  gospel  shall  be 
preached  thoughout  the  whole  world,  this  also  that 
she  hath  done  shall  be  spoken  of  for  a  memorial  of 
her.”  It  is  her  last  opportunity  to  show  her  regard 
for  her  Lord  ;  and  her  deed  shall  make  her  world-re¬ 
nowned. 

Judas  was  rebuked  and  angry ;  as  Luke  says, 
Satan  entered  into  him.”  Soon  after  he  went  over 
to  the  city ;  bargained  with  the  ‘‘  chief  priests”  to 
deliver  Jesus  into  their  hands  for  thirty  pieces  of  sil¬ 
ver,  the  price  of  a  slave  ;  and  from  that  time  sought 
opportunity  to  betray  him.”  Such  an  opportunity 
he  found  upon  the  following  night. 

[Matt.  26:  17—19;  Mark  14:  12—16;  Luke  22:  7—13.] 

Aware  of  the  purpose  of  Judas  and  the  Sanhe¬ 
drim,  Christ  seems  to  have  avoided  the  city  on 
Thursday,  and  spent  the  day  at  Bethany.  He 
would  not  surrender  himself  to  his  enemies  until  he 

36* 


426  THE  PASCHAL  SUPPER.  [PERIOD 

had  finished  his  work.  A  few  hours  more  he  would 
spend  in  converse  with  his  disciples.  He  had  also  a 
peculiar  interest  in  the  passover.  That  significant 
ordinance,  the  Paschal  supper,  was  to  be  transformed 
and  carried  over  into  his  new  economy.  He  would 
not  be  restrained  from  its  observance,  nor  interrupted 
by  his  enemies  at  that  time. 

Hence,  on  Thursday  afternoon,  he  sent  Peter  and 
John  to  the  city  to  prepare  the  supper,  giving  them 
such  directions  for  finding  the  proper  place  as  would 
secure  secrecy,  and  prevent  any  but  reliable  friends 
from  intruding. 

Whether  he  had  previously  made  arrangement  with 
a  friend  for  “  a  large  upper  room,’’  or  whether  there 
was  a  supernatural  prescience  here  exercised,  is  not 
said ;  the  former  seems  more  probable.  Peter  and 
John  found  things  as  he  said :  and  at  evening  Jesus 
with  the  other  disciples  went  over  from  Bethany,  and 
found  the  supper  prepared.* 

*  It  is  a  mooted  question  whether  Christ  did  not  anticipate  by 
one  day  the  time  of  the  Paschal  supper.  For  a  thorough  discus¬ 
sion  of  this  question,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Robinson’s  Harmony, 
or  Bib.  Sac.  for  August,  1845.  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke  cer¬ 
tainly  implyHhat  Christ  celebrated  the  passover  at  the  usual  time. 
And  the  passages  in  John  and  elsewhere,  which  seem  to  contradict 
this  view,  are  not  decisive.  They  seem  to  be  satisfactorily  explained 
by  Doctor  Pt.  Thus — John  13  :  1 ;  18  :  28 — “  Passover”  may  mean 
the  festival  in  general,  and  not  simply  the  Paschal  supper.  John 
19:  14,  “preparation  of  the  passover,”  may  be  preparation  for 
the  sabbath  of  the  passover-week,  which  came  next  day.  The  im- 


vri.]  THE  PASCHAL  SUPPER.  427 

[Matt  26:  20;  Mark  14:  17;  Luke.  22:  14—18;  24—30; 

John  13  :  1—20.] 

It  is  now  the  eve  of  the  passover.  The  families  of 
Jerusalem,  with  their  numerous  guests,  are  gathering 
around  their  several  tables  to  commemorate  the  eman¬ 
cipation  of  their  ancestors  on  that  night  when  the 
destroying  angel  passed  over  their  blood-sprinkled 
doors.  In  a  certain  upper  room”  are  gathered  the 
family  of  Jesus ;  those  twelve  young,  able  men,  with 
their  wonderful  leader,  whom  we  have  followed  in  their 
last  three  year’s  wanderings. 

The  care-worn  Master  looks  around  affectionately 
upon  his  little  band  as  they  seat  themselves  at  the  ta¬ 
ble,  saying,  “  I  have  earnestly  desired  to  eat  this  pass- 
over  with  you,  before  I  suffer.”  I  shall  celebrate  this 
feast  with  you  no  more  on  earth.  Taking  the  cup  of 
red  wine  with  which  the  supper  commenced,  he  in¬ 
vokes  a  blessing,  and  bids  them  pass  it  around,  telling 
them  that  he  shall  drink  no  more  of  the  fruit  of  the 
vine  ‘‘until  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  come.” 

This  mention  of  the  kingdom  that  should  come 
before  he  would  again  eat  and  drink  with  them  may 
have  furnished  the  point  of  departure  for  the  strange 
turn  which  the  conversation  of  the  disciples  now  took. 
They  were  still  dreaming  of  the  temporal  kingdom, 
and  soon  fell  into  the  did  channel  of  their  ambitious 

propriety  of  capital  executions  on  the  feast-day  may  be  accounted 
for  by  the  excitement  and  rage  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and  the  fact 
that  the  Romans,  who  now  ruled,  disregarded  Jewish  customs. 


428  THE  PASCHAL  SUPPER.  [PERIOD 

hopes,  and  began  to  discuss  the  question,  which  of 
them  should  be  greatest  in  that  kingdom. 

The  affectionate  leader  listens  in  silence  and  sor¬ 
row,  at  first,  but  soon  rises  up  from  table,  throws  off 
his  outer  garment,  girds  himself  with  a  towel,  like  a 
servant,  takes  a  basin  of  water  and  begins  to  wash  the 
feet  of  the  company.  Some  of  the  astonished  disci¬ 
ples  make  no  remonstrance,  not  knowing  what  this 
strange  movement  can  mean ;  but  when  he  comes  to 
the  impetuous  Peter,  he  breaks  out  in  remonstrance. 
Wilt  thou  wash  my  feet  ?  ”  Jesus  now  tells  them 
that  the  act  has  a  significance  which  they  shall  here¬ 
after  understand.  But  Peter  is  decided,  “  Thou  shalt 
never  wash  my  feet. ''  Then,  is  the  reply,  thou  hast 

no  part  with  me.  His  remonstrance,  though  spring- 

• 

ing  from  reverence  for  Christ,  exhibited  a  spirit  of 
insubordination,  incompatible  with  that  humility  which 
Christ  would  inculcate.  Catching,  however,  a  glimpse 
of  the  symbolical  import  of  the  washing  from  Christ's 
last  remark,  he  now  cries  out,  ‘‘  not  my  feet  only,  but 
also  my  hands  and  my  head.  "  But  this,  says  the 
Master,  would  be  needless ;  whoever  has  once  been 
purified  from  sin  needs  only,  like  the  person  coming 
out  of  a  bath,  to  be  purified  from  casual,  external,  and 
involuntary  impurities,  that  may  as  it  were  cling  to  his 
feet.  And  ye  are  clean,  "  have  been  thus  purified  ; 
‘‘but  not  all;"  there  was  one  present  who  had  re¬ 
ceived  no  spiritual  cleansing. 

Having  finished  this  lustration,  and  resumed  his 


VII.] 


THE  PASCHAL  SUPPER. 


429 


garment,  and  again  sat  down  to  the  table,  he  says  to 
them,  ‘‘know  ye  what  I  have  done  to  you  ?  ’’  and  pro¬ 
ceeds  to  unfold  the  symbolical  meaning  of  the  trans¬ 
action  as  a  lesson  on  humility  and  a  reproof  for  their 
vain  ambition  and  contention  for  supremacy. 

“  The  kings  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  lordship,’* 
“but  he  that  is  chief  among  you,  let  him  serve.”  Ye 
call  me  Master,  and  Lord,  and  ye  say  well ;  for  so  I 
am.”  “But  I  am  among  you  as  he  that  serveth.” 
And  in  this,  “  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye 
should  do  as  I  have  done  to  you,”  humbly  perform 
acts  of  devotion  and  kindness  to  each  other.  As  to 
the  kingdom,  you  shall  c^tainly  receive  such  an  one 
“  as  my  Father  hath  appointed  unto  me.”  If  you  im¬ 
itate  my  example,  you  shall  “eat  and  drink  at  my 
table  in  my  kingdom,  and  sit  on  thrones,  judging  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel.”  Howbeit,  “I  speak  not  of 
you  all ;  I  know  whom  I  have  chosen.” 

[Matt.  26:  21—25;  Mark  14:  18—21;  Luke  22:  21—23;  Joha 
13:  21— 3^.] 

These  last  words  were  spoken  mournfully.  The 
thought  that  one  of  his  little  band  was  a  traitor 
troubled  his  spirit.  He  had  already  alluded  to  it  fre¬ 
quently,  as  if  he  would  gladly  awaken  repentance  in 
the  breast  of  Judas,  and  save  him  from  the  ruin  to 
which  he  was  hastening.  And  now  again  after  a  pause, 
and  a  struggle  of  emotion,  he  says,  “verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  you,  that  one  of  you  shall  betray  me.” 


430  DISCOURSE  AT  TABLE.  [PERIOD 

This  plain  announcement,  that  one  of  their  own 
number  should  be  the  traitor,  startled  the  disciples, 
who  now  began  to  look  with  anxiety,  suspicion,  and 
self-distrust  upon  each  other.  Peter"  at  length  beck¬ 
oned  to  John,  w^ho  sat  next  to  Jesus,  to  ask  him  who 
was  the  false  one.  John  in  a  whisper  asks  the  ques¬ 
tion,  and  is  answered  in  a  low  tone,  that  it  is  he  to 
whom  Jesus  will  hand  the  piece  of  bread  in  his  hand, 
after  dipping  it  in  the  sauce,  that  was  eaten  with  the 
Paschal  supper.  The  uneasy  Judas  marks  the  whis¬ 
pering  and  the  anxious  glance  of  Peter  and  John  as 
Jesus  hands  him  tlie  sop  ;  and  with  the  effrontery  of  a 
practised  hypocrite  asks,  with  whining  tone,  ‘^Master, 
is  it  I?  With  a  calm  decision,  that  went  like  thun¬ 
der  through  the  traitor's  bosom,  Jesus  replies,  ‘^Thou 
hast  said;"  and  ^‘what  thou  doest,  do  quickly."  A 
flash  of  rage  burns  on  Judas’  face  to  And  himself  thus 
discovered  and  exposed ;  he  rises  from  the  table,  leaves 
the  room,  and  seeks  the  Sanhedrim  to  consummate 
his  perfldy. 

Aware  of  his  intent,  Jesus  remarks,  after  his  de¬ 
parture,  upon  his  own  approaching  demise :  ‘‘  The 
Son  of  Man  goes,  as  it  is  written  of  him ;  but  wo 
unto  that  man  by  whom  the  Son  of  Man  is  betrayed." 
“  Now  is  the  Son  of  Man  (to  be)  glorified,  and  God 
is  glorified  in  him."  The  great  crisis  has  come  in 
which  Father  and  Son  shall  mutually  be  glorified  in 
each  other.  Little  children,  yet  a  little  while  I  am 
with  you."  Soon  I  shall  go  whither  ye  cannot  now 


VII.] 


DISCOURSE  AT  TABLE. 


431 


follow.  As  my  farewell  legacy,  I  give  you  a  new 
commandment,  that  ye  love  one  another,’'  as  I  have 
loved  you.  This  love  shall  he  your  badge  of  disci- 
pleship. 

[John  13:  36—38;  Matt.  26 :  31—35;  Mark  14:  27—31;  Luke 
22:  31—38.] 

Peter  would  know  why  he  cannot  now  follow  his 
Master,  declaring  that  he  will  lay  down  his  life  for 
Jesus’  sake.  The  latter  replies  that  they  shall  all 
forsake  him  this  very  night.  As  Zechariah  predicted, 
the  Shepherd  will  be  smitten,  and  the  flock  scattered. 
But  “  after  I  am  risen  again,  he  adds,  I  will  go  be¬ 
fore  you  into  Galilee.”  Peter  is,  however,  full  of 
self-confidence:  ‘^though  all  men  shall  be  offended 
because  of  thee,  yet  will  I  never  be  offended.  Si¬ 
mon,  Simon,”  says  Jesus,  sternly,  “  Satan  has  desired 
to  .  .  .  sift  you  as  wheat.”  You  shall  be  severely 
tried.  “  But  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith 
fail  not.”  But,  says  Peter,  I  am  ready  for  prison  or 
death.  Vain  man !  you  lay  down  your  life  for  my 
sake  !  Even  “  this  night,  before  the  second  crowing 
of  the  cock,  thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice.”  But  the 
confident  Peter  and  the  others  more  Vehemently  as¬ 
sert  their  fidelity. 

Christ  next  contrasts  the  time  of  their  first  mis¬ 
sion  in  his  service  with  the  far  different  circumstances 
of  their  future  mission.  Then  there  was  no  hostility, 
and  you  went  fearless,  trusting  to  the  people  to  supply 


432  THE  lord's  supper.  [period 

your  wants.  But  hereafter  you  shall  be  amid  ene¬ 
mies,  in  want  and  danger.  Take  money  and  sword 
for  your  future  journey ;  expect  no  more  favor  from 
the  world ;  for  I  am  to  be  ‘‘  reckoned  among  the 
transgressors,’’  as  it  is  written  by  Isaiah.  Misappre¬ 
hending  his  meaning,  the  disciples  remark  that  there 
are  “  two  swords  ”  in  the  company ;  and  Jesus  here 
drops  the  subject. 

[Matt.  26  :  26 — 29 ;  Mark  14  ;  22 — 25  ;  Luke  22  :  19 — 20  ;  1  Cor. 

11  :  23—25.] 

• 

It  was  Christ’s  design  to  leave  his  church  some 
appropriate  memorial  of  his  sacrifice  and  his  con¬ 
tinued  love.  To  institute  such  a  memorial  was  one 
reason  why  he  desired  to  eat  this  passover”  with  his 
disciples.  The  traitor  had  now  gone  out,  and  the  way 
was  open  for  this  institution.  .  Taking  some  of  the 
bread  prepared  for  the  passover,  near  the  close  of 
that  meal,  he  blessed,  broke,  and  distributed  it  to  the 
disciples  as  an  emblem  of  his  body,  soon  to  be  broken 
for  them.  In  the  same  manner  he  passed  the  last 
cup  of  wine,  bidding  them  drink  it  as  a- symbol  of  his 
blood. 

The  injunction  to  do  this  continuously  in  remem¬ 
brance  of  him  shows  that  it  was  designed  as  a  perma¬ 
nent  ordinance.  The  bread  and  wine  were  appropriate 
emblems  of  that  spiritual  bread  and  water  of  life 
w^hich  he  became  to  his  followers.  As  his  body  was 
yet  unbroken,  the  disciples  could  not  regard  the  bread 


VII.] 


DISCOURSE  AFTER  SUPPER. 


433 


and  wine  as  anything  more  than  symbols.  They  could 
not  pervert  his  words  into  an  assertion  of  transubstan- 
tiation. 

[John  14:  1—31.]. 

After  supper,  Jesus  sat  long  at  table,  entertaining 
his  disciples  with  those  rich  discourses  which  sank  so 
deeply  into  the  susceptible  mind  of  the  beloved  John. 
Leaning  on  his  Master’s  bosom,  and  gazing  intently 
upon  his  divine  face,  John  received  each  word  as  wax 
receives  the  seal.  And  as  in  after  life  he  recalled  the 
events  of  that  sad  night,  many  a  thought  that  had 
lain  incomprehensible  in  his  memory  grew  luminous 
and  consoling. 

At  present  the  disciples  were  perplexed,  sad,  and 
fearful.  To  calm  and  comfort  them,  and  show  how 
he  loved  them  unto  the  end,”  Christ  says,  “  Let  not 
your  hearts  be  troubled.”  I  go,  but  it  is  to  prepare 
a  place  for  you,  that  you  may  be  with  me  :  have  faith 
in  me,  as  God.  To  the  assertion  of  Thomas,  that 
they  knew  not  whither  he  goes,  nor  the  way  by  which 
they  may  come  to  him,  he  replies,  “  I  am  the  way ; 
no  man  can  come  unto  the  Father  but  by  me.”  To 
Philip’s  request  that  Jesus  would  show  them  the 
Father,  he  replies  that  he  is  virtually  the  Father; 
God  is  revealed  in  him.  “  He  that  hath  seen  me 
hath  seen  the  Father.”  I  live  in  the  Father,  and 
the  Father  lives,  speaks,  and  works  in  me.  Asking 
favors  of  God  in  my  name  you  shall  receive.  Lov- 

87 


434  DISCOURSE  AFTER  SUPPER.  [PERIOD 

ingly  obeying  my  commandments  you  shall  have  the 
Spirit  of  truth”  as  your  comforter,  until  I  shall 
again  appear,  and  with  my  Father,  spiritually  and 
invisibly  to  the  world,  abide  with  the  faithful.  The 
Holy  Comforter  shall  ^Heach  you  all  things,”  and  re¬ 
call  my  words  to  your  remembrance.  Be  not  troubled 
or  fearful.  Despite  the  outward  conflicts  which  await 
you,  I  leave  you  a  benediction  of  peace ;  peace,  not 
of  the  worldly  kind,  but  peace  of  spirit,  the  peace  of 
God.  Reposing  a  loving  confidence  in  me,  you  may 
even  rejoice  at  my  departure  to  my  Father. 

.  Henceforth  I  can  talk  but  little  with  you.  The 
"^‘prince  of  this  world”  comes  for  his  brief  victory; 
and  although  he  ‘^has  nothing  in  me,”  and  I  might 
escape  his  machinations,  yet  that  the  world  may 
know  that  I  love  the  Father,”  I  go  to  fulfil  his  com¬ 
mand,  by  completing  this  self-sacrifice. 

With  these  words,  they  leave  the  table. 

[John  15:  1—27.] 

After  leaving  the  table,  Christ  continues  his  dis¬ 
course  in  the  same  strain.  The  relation  of  the  be¬ 
liever  to  Christ  is  vital  and  permanent.  In  God’s 

husbandry  Christ  is  a  vine,  and  his  disciples  are 
» 

branches.  Every  fruitless  branch  the  husbandman 
cuts  away ;  and  every  fruitful  branch  is  pruned,  that 
it  may  be  more  fruitful.'  Fruitfulness  in  the  believer 
can  only  be  secured  by  constant  communion  with 
Christ.  He  must  grow  out  of  his  vine,  and  draw 


VII.] 


DISCOURSE  AFTER  SUPPER. 


435 


thence  his  life-blood.  By  obedience  to  Christ’s  com¬ 
mands,  an  obedience  springing  from  love,  one  may 
live  in  Christ,  secure  his  love,  and  the  fructifying 
communications  of  hS  spirit,  and  be  filled  with  joy. 

The  substance  of  Christ’s  commandment  is  love, 
which  must  be  manifested  towards  those  who  are  his. 
Fulfilling  this  commandment  of  love,  believers  become 
friends  of  Christ  (not  servants),  partakers  of  his  in¬ 
spired  knowledge,  chosen  and  ordained  by  him  to 
bring  forth  fruit.  Asking  in  Christ’s  name,  they 
may  receive  from  the  Father  whatsoever  they  desire. 

But  with  this  favor  of  God  they  must  expect  the 
enmity  of  the  world.  The  disciple  wilFnot  be  better 
received  than  his  Lord.  Destitute  of  the  true  know¬ 
ledge  of  God,  the  world  persecutes  the  Son,  and  on 
his  account  will  persecute  his  followers.  Their  hatred 
is  groundless ;  they  refuse  the  testimony  offered  by 
Christ  to  his ’divinity ;  and  when  Christ  has  gone,  his 
disciples  and  the  Comforter  whom  he  will  send  shall 
still  bear  witness  for  him,  and  the  hostile  world  will 
be  without  excuse. 


[John  16 :  1—33.] 

Of  these  things,  says  Christ,  I  forewarn  you,  in 
order  that  you  may  not  be  disappointed  and  dismayed 
when  they  shall  excommunicate  you  and  seek  your 
lives,  thinking  that  they  are  thus  doing  God  service. 

Again  he  reverts  to  his  departure,  and  the  advent 
of  the  Comforter.  The  Spirit  will  be  their  helper  in 


436  DISCOURSE  AFTER  SUPPER.  [PERIOD 

all  their  trials ;  and  in  connection  with  their  testi¬ 
mony  will  convince  the  w’orld  of  their  sin  in  rejecting 
Christ;  of  his  righteousness  Ijg^e  exhibited  in  his 
resurrection  and  ascension  ;  aim  of  the  judgment  of 
the  prince  of  this  world,  and  of  the  final  subjugation 
of  all  evil  to  the  dominion  of  God. 

This  Spirit  shall  also  perfect  in  them  the  know¬ 
ledge  of  God  which  Christ  has  introduced.  The 
whole  counsel  of  God  belongs  to  Christ,  and  of  all 
that  is  Christ’s  the  Comforter  will  inform  his  dis¬ 
ciples. 

He  then  adverts  again  to  his  absence  from  them 
for  a  little  wliile,  and  they  express  their  inability  to 
comprehend  what  he  means.  Jesus  then  proceeds  to 
develop  more  clearly  the  truth  that,  though  they  were 
•  to  be  deprived  of  his  bodily  presence,  they  should 
soon  enjoy  a  spiritual  communion  with  him,  so  rich 
and  blissful,  that  their  present  sorrows  would  seem 
but  the  birth-pangs  of  an  imperishable  joy.  After 
that  they  shall  not  need  to  come  to  him  as  they  now 
do,  but  may,  in  his  name,  approach  directly  to  God 
and  ask  blessings,  with  assurance  of  being  heard. 
And  in  the  communion  w^hich  they  shall  then  have 
with  him,  his  words  will  no  longer  seem  obscure,  but 
plain  and  lucid. 

They  now  comprehend  something  of  his  meaning 
respecting  his  departure  to  the  Father,  and  declare 
their  unqualified  faith  in  him  as  the  searcher  of 
hearts,  who  came  forth  from  God.”  Jesus  cautions 


CONCLUDING  PRAYER. 


437 


VII.  J 

them  against  too  great  confidence  in  their  faith ;  for,” 
says  he,  the  time  cometh,  yea,  is  now  come,  that  ye 
shall  be  scattered,''  and  I  shall  be  left  alone ;  yet  not 
entirely  alone,  —  ‘‘  the  Father  is  with  me  !  " 

His  concluding  words  beautifully  express  the  aim 
and  substance  of  his  whole  discourse  :  ‘‘  These  things 
have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  in  me  ye  might  have 
peace.  In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation ;  but 
be  of  good  cheer,  I  have  overcome  the  world." 

[John  17:  1—26.] 

Here  follows  a  model  prayer,  embracing  the  same 
scope  of  thought  contained  in  the  above  discourse. 
Aware  that  his  work  as  teacher  is  now  ended,  he 
‘Mifts  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,"  and  fervently  suppli¬ 
cates  the  Holy  Father  to  glorify  him,  with  himself, 
with  the  glory  which  they  shared  from  eternity,  and 
to  bless  his  believing  children  whom  he  leaves  in  the 
world. 

The  work  assigned  him  he  declares  to  be  finished. 

I  have  manifested  thy  name  unto  the  men  which 
thou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world."  For  them  he 
prays,  not  that  they  may  be  removed  from  the  world, 
but  that  they  may  still  be  kept  in  communion  with 
God,  as  he  had  kept  them  while  personally  with  them. 
As  they  are  “not  of  the  world,"  they  will  be  hated 
by  it ;  let  them  be  preserved  from  its  evil,  and  sanc¬ 
tified  through  the  word  of  truth. 

They  are  now  sent  forth  as  Christ’s  representa- 

37* 


438 


CONCLUDING  PRAYER. 


[period 


tives,  and  others  will  believe  through  their  preaching ; 
for  them  also  he  prays,  that  they  all  may  be  embraced 
in  the  same  union  with  Christ  and  the  Father. 

Finally,  he  prays  that  those  whom  Grod  has  given 
him  may  be  with  him  in  glory,  and  participate  in  his 
eternal  communion  with  God.  The  world  has  not 
known  thee,  0  righteous  Father;  but  these  have 
known  that  thou  has  sent  me.”  And  I  have  declared 
unto  them  thy  name,  and  will  'declare  it,  that  the  love 
wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me  may  be  in  them,  and  I 
in  them.” 

So  he  “loves  his  disciples  unto  the  end,”  and 
prays  for  their  final  exaltatioif’with  himself,  and  the 
glorification  of  all  who  shall,  to  the  end  of  time,  be¬ 
lieve  the  revelation  he  has  introduced. 

[Matt.  26:  30,  36—46;  Mark  14:  26,  32—42;  Luke  22:  39— 
46  ;  John  18  :  1.] 

After  this  matchless  prayer,  the  company  joined 
in  singing,  as  was  customary  after  the  Paschal  supper. 
Full  of  sad  and  tender  emotions  they  then  descended 
from  the  “guest  chamber,”  where  they  had  feasted, 
and  communed,  and  sorrowed.  The  disciples  followed 
in  silence  their  calm  and  heavenly-minded  leader.. 
As  he  had  often  done  before,  he  conducted  them  out 
of  the  eastern  gate  of  the  city,  across  the  Kedron,  to 
the  secluded  garden  at  the  foot  of  Olivet. 

As  Christ  had  prepared  himself  for  his  public 
ministry  by  meditation  and  prayer  in  the  desert,  so 


VII.] 


GETHSEMANE. 


439 


now  he  retired  to  a  lonely  spot  to  prepare  himself  by 
prayer  and  meditation  for  the  great  and  trying  scene 
before  him.  Though  maintaining  a  serene  composure, 
and  demeaning  himself  in  view  of  approaching  death, 
as  the  Christian  hero  should,  he  yet  felt  deeply  the 
shrinkings  and  shuddering  common  to  his  humanity 
and  ours.  The  great  crisis  and  burden  of  his  media¬ 
torial  work  cast  its  dark  shadow  over  him.  The  sac¬ 
rificial  altar  began  to  smoke.  The  conscious  victim 
was  yet  free  to  retreat  and  escape  the  bitter  cup. 
Conflicting  emotions,  the  human  against  the  divine, 
swelled  and  billowed  within  him.  Night  and  enemies 
around  him,  tortures  and  death  before  him,  the  guilt 
of  a  world  laid  upon  his  shoulders,  0  what  could  the 
suffering  Son  of  Man  and  Son  of  God  do,  but  pray ! 
On  earth  was  none  that  could  understand  his  sorrow 
and  sympathize  with  him.  The  Father  alone  can 
comfort  him. 

Taking  the  three  of  his  disciples  who  were  most 
in  sympathy  with  his  spirit,  and  who  had  witnessed 
his  transfiguration,  he  retires  from  the  others  to  a 
more  solitary  part  of  the  garden.  Almost  overcome 
by  his  emotion,  he  says  to  them,  My  soul  is  exceed¬ 
ing  sorrowful,  even  unto  death ;  tarry  ye  here  and 
watch  with  me.”  Proceeding  a  few  paces  further,  he 
falls  prostrate,  and  in  anguish  of  spirit  cries  aloud, 
‘‘  0,  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass 
from  me  !  ”  Yet  the  project  of  redemption  must  not 
be  renounced.  If  justice  demands  this  sacrifice,  ‘‘  not 
my  will,  but  thine  be  done !  ” 


440 


GETHSEMANE. 


[PERIOB 


While  he  prays,  grief  and  weariness  overcome  the 
disciples,  and  when  he  returns,  he  finds  them  asleep. 
Arousing  them  and  bidding  them  watch  against  temp¬ 
tation,  he  again  retires  and  prays  as  before,  but,  if 
possible,  with  greater  earnestness  and  deeper  agony. 
The  burden  of  his  prayer  is  the  same  as  at  first — If 
this  cup  may  not  pass  from  me  except  I  drink  it,  thy 
will  be  done.”  A  third  time  he  wrestles  in  the  same 
petition,  but  with  such  anguish,  that  the  frail  human 
tenement  of  the  struggling  soul  almost  gives  way. 
Blood-drops  gush  through  the  pores  ;  it  is  the  climax 
of  agony ;  and  lest  the  strained  heart-strings  should 
snap  asunder,  an  angel  appears  to  comfort  the  tried 
one.  Again  the  divine  calmness  returns  ;  the  human 
struggle  ceases,  and  he  cries  again  in  triumph,  “  Thy 
wdll.  Father,  be  done  !  ” 

Returning  again  to  the  sleeping  disciples,  who 
each  time  heard  only  the  beginning  of  his  prayer, 
whose  spirit,  as  he  kindly  says,  ^‘is  willing”  to  watch 
with  the  sorrowing  Master,  but  whose  “  flesh  is  weak,” 
he  bids  them  now  sleep  on  and  take  their  rest. 


[John  18;  2,  3.] 

Leaving  him  there  beside  the  sleepers,  let  us  now 
look  after  the  one  disciple  who  alone  in  this  hour  of 
darkness  is  wakeful.  Alas,  that  he  should  be  awake 
for  such  nefarious  purpose  ! 

Leaving  the  ‘‘guest  chamber”  and  his  friends  in 
anger,  Judas  immediately  sought  his  employers  and 


GETHSEMANE. 


441 


VII.] 

informed  them  that  his  contract  might  now  be  fulfilled. 
At  once  there  is  a  stir  among  the  Sanhedrim  and  their 
minions.  As  soon  as  may  be,  a  small  band  of  Roman 
soldiers  is  procured  to  act  as  police  in  case  of  resist¬ 
ance.  The  menials  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and  other  Jews 
hostile  to  Jesus,  hastily  arm  themselves  with  swords, 
clubs,  or  whatever  can  be  laid  hold  of,  while  others 
furnish  themselves  with  lanterns  and  torches.  Thus 
provided,  they  sally  forth  banditti-like  for  their  prey. 

The  design  of  Judas  probably  was  to  seize  Jesus 
before  he  should  leave  the  city ;  but  finding  the  pass- 
over  room  deserted,  he  proceeds  to  lead  his  armed 
rabble  towards  Gethsemane,  well  known  to  him  as  a 
favorite  resort  of  his  Master. 

Jesus,  still  watching  beside  the  sleeping  disciples, 
sees  their  approach  as  they  come  out  of  the  city  and 
*  over  the  Kedron  towards  Olivet.  Well  knowing  what 
such  a  demonstration  indicated,  he  awakens  his  disci¬ 
ples,  telling  them  that  the  hour  has  come,  ‘‘  the  Son 
of  Man  is  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  sinners.”  “  Rise, 
let  us  be  going ;  lo  !  he  that  betrayeth  me  is  at  hand.” 

[Matt  26:  47—56;  Mark  14:  43—52;  Luke  22:  47—53; 

John  18:  4 — 12.] 

Starting  up  half  bewildered,  they  follow  Jesus-  to 
the  garden  gate,  where,  to  their  consternation,  they 
meet  Judas  with  his  soldiers.  As  they  go  out  of  the 
gate,  Judas  who  marched  before  the  rabble  soldiery, 
in  accordance  with  a  previous  understanding,  steps 


* 

442  THE  ARREST.  [PERIOD 

forward,  as  if  pleased  to  see  his  Master,  and  salutes 
him  in  the  usual  way.  Jesus  receives  his  salutation 
with  the  piercing  question,  ‘‘Betrayest  thou  the  Son 
of  Man  with  a  kiss  ?  ” 

The  soldiers  now  advance,  and  Jesus  in  his  calm, 
majestic  manner,  meets  them,  enquiring,  ‘‘  Whom 
seek  ye?”  Jesus  of  Nazareth”  is  their  answer. 
With  the  same  composure  he  tells  them,  I  am  he.” 
Awed  by  his  demeanor,  and  the  thought  that  the 
great  miracle-worker  of  whom  they  had  heard  so 
much  confronted  them,  they  shrink  back  as  if  stunned, 
and  sink  to  the  ground.  Recovering  and  again  ad¬ 
vancing,  he  asks  them  a  second  time,  ‘‘  Whom  seek 
ye?”  and  receives  the  same  reply.  If,  therefore, 
ye  seek  me,  let  these  (my  disciples)  go  their  way.” 
He  would  not  that  his  friends  should  be  injured  for  his 
sake.  But  the  disciples,  encouraged  perhaps  by  the 
evident  dismay  of  the  soldiers,  ask,  Lord,  shall  we 
smite?”  Without  waiting  for  an  answer,  Peter,  in 
his  headlong  manner,  makes  a  pass  with  his  sword  at 
the  head  of  one  of  the  company ;  and,  failing  of  the 
man’s  head,  cuts  off  ‘^his  right  ear.”  Jesus,  however, 
rebukes  Peter,  bids  him  put  up  his  sword,  with  an  in¬ 
timation  that  it  is  not  to  be  used  in  his  cause,  and 
remarks  that,  should  he  but  ask  it,  his  Father  would 
now  give  him  more  than  six  thousand  angels  for  each 
disciple  as  his  defence.  But  he  does  not  ask  it ;  and 
still  more  to  Peter’s  confusion,  he  touches  and  heals 
the  wounded  servant  of  the  high  priest.  At  the  same 


VII.]  PRELIMINARY  EXAMINATION.  443 

time  he  addresses  his  enemies  in  a  manner  that  might 
well  shame  them/'  Are  ye  come  out  as  against  a  thief 
with  swords  and  stones  for  ta  take  me  ?  I  sat  daily 
with  you  teaching  in  the  temple,  and  ye  laid  no  hold 
on  me ;  but  the  scriptures  must  be  fulfilled, — this  is 

your  hour  and  the  power  of  darkness,”  intimating  his 

« 

surrender.  Night  and  darkness  suited  their  purpose, 
and  the  scriptures  predicted  this  triumph  for  the  pow¬ 
er  of  evil.  The  soldiers  thus  encouraged  advance, 
the  disheartened  disciples  fiy  as  for  life,  Jesus  is 
seized  and  bound,  and  a  young  man,  who  probably 
lodged  in  the  garden,  hearing  the  tumult,  and  coming 
half  dressed  to  the  rescue,  is  attacked  by  the  soldiers, 
and  escapes  with  the  loss  of  his  girdle. 

[Matt.  26  :  57,  58,  69—75  ;  Mark  14  :  53,  54,  66—72  ;  Luke  22 : 

54—62  ;  John  18  :  13—27.] 

Alone  with  his  enemies,  Jesus  is  now  conducted 
first  to  the  house  of  Annas,  who  had  been  high  priest 
the  preceding  year.  Here  he  is  detained  until  Caia- 
phas,  the  President  of  the  Sanhedrim,  can  assemble 
the  council  and  prepare  for  the  trial. 

Annas,  meantime,  carries  on  a  kind  of  examina¬ 
tion  or  preliminary  trial,  in  order  to  beguile  time,  and 
if  possible  elicit  some  confession  from  Jesus  that  may 
.be  used  against  him  before  the  council.  Particularly 
he  enquires  of  Christ  respecting  his  disciples  and  his 
doctrine.  Jesus  answers  him  indifferently,  telling  him 
that  his  doctrines  are  well  known,  he  had  not  taught 


444  PRELIMINARY  EXAMINATION.  [PERIOD 

in  secret.  The  multitudes  who  had  heard  him  in 
synagogue  and  temple  could  tell  what  he  preached. 
Ask  them,  not  me,  says  he  to  Annas.  Hereupon  a 
menial  of  the  priest  strikes  Jesus  in  the  face  for  thus 
answering  the  dignitary.  Jesus  in  reproof  tells  him, 
‘‘If  I  have  spoken  evil,  bear  witness  of  the  evil; 
prefer  your  charge  in  a  legal  way.  But  legality,  rea¬ 
son,  or  decency,  have  no  place  amongst  the  enemies 
of  the  faultless  Christ ;  there  is  no  one  to  take  the 
part  of  the  guileless  victim. 

Even  those  disciples,  who  a  few  hours  before  vowed 
to  stand  by  him  in  prison  or  death,  have  gone.  Two 
of  them  indeed  have  “followed  him  afar  off;’’  and 
even  now  they  stand  among  the  rabble  around  the 
the  fire  in  the  court  of  Annas’  house ;  but  they  have 
nothing  to  say  for  their  Master.  Even  the  confident 
Peter  trembles  under  the  eye  of  a  female  servant. 
He  hears  Jesus  questioned  respecting  his  disciples, 
and  terrified  knows  not  but  he  may  be  next  in  the 
hands  of  the  Sanhedrim.  Thrice  he  declares  himself 
ignorant  of  Jesus,  and  at  last  gives  emphasis  with 
oaths  to  his  assertion.  But  while  the  oath  of  denial 
yet  burns  on  his  lips  the  cock  is  heard  to  crow ;  and 
Jesus,  who  had  heard  the  perjury,  casts  a  searching 
glance  towards  the  false  one  ;  and  that  glance  recalls 
the  boast  of  fidelity  and  the  warning  at  the  passover ; 
remorse  rises  bitter  in  the  breast  of  Peter,  till  he  re¬ 
tires  and  in  penitence  weeps  away  his  sin. 


VII.J  THE  SANHEDRIM  CONVENED.  445 

[Matt.  26:  59—68;  Mark  14:  55—65;  Luke  22:  63—71.] 

By  daybreak  the  Sanhedrim  are  together  ready 
for  formal  action.  They  had  some  days  before  de¬ 
creed  that  Christ  must  die ;  but  to  secure  his  execu¬ 
tion  by  the  Romans,  the  forms  of  trial  must  be  gone 
through,  and  some  specific  charge  sustained  by  testi¬ 
mony.  In  the  haste  and  confusion  in  which  the  coun¬ 
cil  was  convened  (and  haste  was  necessary  to  avoid 
an  uproar  of  the  people),  witnesses  had  been  collected 
and  bribed  to  testify  against  Jesus;  but  their  instruc¬ 
tions  were  incomplete.  To  the  mortification  of  the 
prosecutors,  when  called  to  testify,  no  two  agree  in 
their  testimony.  The  nearest  approximation  to  agree¬ 
ment  is  the  testimony  of  two,  relative  to  Christ's  re¬ 
mark  concerning  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple ;  but 
even  here  there  is  discrepancy.  In  fine,  the  evidences 
of  falsehood  are  so  plain,  that  the  hope  of  sustaining 
any  charge  in  this  way  is  abandoned. 

Resort  is  then  had  to  questioning  the  prisoner  in 
open  court,  hoping  thus  to  elicit  grounds  of  condem¬ 
nation.  Jesus,  however,  scorns  to  plead  his  cause  be¬ 
fore  this  unrighteous  council,  and  maintains  a  silent 
and  dignified  composure. 

The  wish  of  Caiaphas  was  to  draw  from  Christ  an 
assertion  of  his  Messiahship.  This  would  sustain  be¬ 
fore  the  council  the  accusation  of  blasphemy :  or,  if 
he  should  now  deny  his  divine  calling,  they  could  con- 
nn  him  as  a  deceiver  and  impostor.  Finally,  a 
it'W  device  occurs  to  the  high  priest,  by  which  he  can 
38 


446 


THE  TRIAL. 


[period 


secure  an  answer  to  his  questions;  it  is  to  put  Jesus 
under  oath.  Administering,  therefore,  the  legal  oath, 
he  asks  him,  Art  thou  the  Christ?’'  am!”  is 
the  unfaltering  reply  of  the  majestic  prisoner.  ‘‘I 
am and  you  shall  one  day  know  it  to  your  dismay. 
For  ‘‘hereafter  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  Man  sitting 
at  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven.”  We  look  to  see  the  heartless  council 
quail  under  such  a  response.  But  it  “  is  the  hour  and 
the  power  of  darkness.”  The  fiend  helps  Caiaphas. 
Rising  in  a  tremor  of  mingled  rage  and  fear,  which 
he  disguises  as  holy  indignation  at  such  blasphemy, 
he  rends  his  robe,  and  cries  out  to  the  assembly, 
“  What  further  need  have  we  of  witnesses  ?  Ye  have 
heard  his  blasphemy.”  Putting  at  the  same  time  the 
vote  to  condemn  him  to  death,  it  is  carried  with  ac¬ 
clamation. 

Sentence  of  death  being  passed,  the  rude  soldiers 
and  baser  fellows  are  permitted  to  insult  and  mock 
the  holy  prisoner.  One  spits  in  his  face,  another 
beats  him  with  his  fist,  others  bandage  his  eyes,  and 
then  striking  him  upon  the  mouth  ask  him  to  pro-  ‘ 
phecy,  “  Who  is  he  that  struck  thee  ?  ”  “  And  many 

other  things  blasphemously  spoke  they  against  him.” 

[Matt.  27  :  1,  2,  11 — 14;  Mark  15  :  1 — 5;  Luke  23  :  1 — 5;  John 
18:  28—38.] 

But  though  they  have  condemned  him  to  death, 
they  dare  not  execute  him.  A  sentence  must  be  ob- 


VII.]  JESUS  BROUGHT  BEFORE  PILATE.  447 

tained  from  the  procurator,  Pilate.  The  Romans 
hold  the  power  of  life  and  death.  The  next  prob¬ 
lem  is  to  sustain  a  political  accusation  before  the 
governor. 

It  was  well  known  that  Jesus  had  ever  refused  to 
interfere  in  anything  of  a  civil  or  judicial  character. 
Even  when  the  people  w^ere  ready  to  proclaim  him 
king,  as  at  the  triumphal  entry,  he  manifested  no  dis¬ 
position  to  favor  the  project,  but  immediately  left 
them.  Still  he  claimed  to  be  Messiah,  the  Anointed ; 
to  be  in  some  sense  a  king.  And  their  only  hope  with 
Pilate  is  to  convince  him  that  Jesus  has  some  ambiti¬ 
ous  project  hostile  to  the  Roman  rule. 

As  early,  therefore,  as  a  hearing  can  be  had  at 
the  judgment-hall,  they  bring  Jesus,  bound,  to  the 
governor,  and  begin  their  accusation,  saying,  ‘^Vv^e 
found  this  fellow  perverting  the  nation,  and  forbidding 
to  give  tribute  to  Cesar,  saying,  that  he  himself  is 
Christ,  a  king.” 

Pilate  had  no  great  desire  to  gratify  the  Jews ; 
but  his  acts  of  injustice  had  been  so  many,  that  he 
feared  an  accusation  might  be  preferred  against  him 
to  Cesar,  and  therefore  felt  disposed  at  present  to 
dally  with  them.  Knowing  that  their  hatred  to  Jesus 
was  based  upon  religious  prejudices,  he  tells  them  to 
take  him  and  judge  him  according  to  their  law ;  i.  e., 
punish  him  as  an  ecclesiastical  offender. 

Their  answer  shows  what  alone  will  satisfy  them. 
^^It  is  not  lawful  for  us  to  put  any  man  to  death.” 


448 


Pilate’s  examination. 


[period 


Blood  alone  can  satisfy  them.  Seeing  their  determi¬ 
nation,  Pilate  next  subjects  the  accused  to  a  kind  of 
examination.  He  has  no  fear  that  the  meek,  friend¬ 
less  man  before  him,  opposed  by  the  whole  Jewish 
hierarchy,  will  interfere  with  Cesar’s  authority.  But 
for  form’s  sake,  half  in  mockery,  he  begins,  “  Art 
thou  the  king  of  the  Jews  ?  ” 

After  making  Pilate  confess  that  he  asks  the  ques¬ 
tion  merely  in  the  manner  of  the  Jews,  Jesus  tells 
him  that  he  is  a  king ;  but  my  kingdom  is  not  of 
this  world.”  I  am  king  of  the  truth.  Every  one 
who  listens  to  the  truth  is  a  subject  of  my  dominion. 
The  Roman  has  little  regard  for  a  kingdom  that  is 
not  of  this  world:”  and  as  to  truth,  he  regards  it 
as  stuff,  about  which  sophists  may  dispute.  He  there¬ 
fore  closes  the  examination  with  the  sneering  question 
of  the  sceptic,  ‘‘What  is  truth?” 

The  Jews,  meantime,  stand  without  the  pretorium, 
in  order  to  avoid  any  contagion  in  the  house  of  a 
pagan  that  might  unfit  them  for  the  festivities  of  the 
day.  They  would  gladly  dip  their  hands  in  Jesus’ 
blood  ;  but  dread  contact  with  a  bit  of  leavened  bread 
or  swine’s  fiesh  ! 

Pilate  now  goes  out  to  the  Jews,  and  tells  them 
that  he  finds  no  fault  in  the  man. 

But  their  accusations  are  renewed  and  multiplied. 
Charge  after  charge  comes  up.  Jesus  remains  silent 
and  indifferent.  The  governor,  surprised  at  his  seem¬ 
ing  indifference,  asks  whether  he  has  no  reply  to  these 


VII.] 


Pilate's  examination. 


449 


numerous  accusations  ?  Still  he  answers  not ;  and 
again  the  Roman  declares  that  he  can  find  no  ground 
of  condemnation  in  him.  But  the  accusers  now  wax 
fierce  and  furious,  saying,  He  stirreth  up  the  peo¬ 
ple,  teaching  throughout  all  Jewry,  beginning  from 
Galilee  to  this  place.’' 


[Luke  23:  6—12.] 

Learning  that  Jesus  is  a  Galilean,  Pilate  conceives 
that  he  may  free  himself  from  the  difficulty  by  send¬ 
ing  him  to  Herod,  tetrarch  of  Galilee,  who  had  come 
to  Jerusalem  to  attend  the  passover. 

Herod  had  long  desired  to  see  Jesus,  hoping  that 
•he  would  perform  a  miracle  before  him.  Jesus,  how¬ 
ever,  never  worked  miracles  to  gratify  an  idle  curi¬ 
osity  ;  and  he  pays  no  attention  to  the  tetrarch’s 
questions.  The  chief  priests  and  scribes”  vehe¬ 
mently  accuse  him  before  Herod*;  but,  as  before,  he 
answers  nothing. 

Herod,  unable  to  secure  any  regard  from  Jesus, 
and  regarding  him  as  a  fit  subject  for  ridicule,  at 
length  with  his  men  treats  him  with  mockery  and 
abuse.  Arraying  him  in  regal  robes,  he  sends  him 
back  to  Pilate. 

The  latter  well  knew  from  this  burlesque  that 
Herod  found  no  fault  in  the  man,  and  henceforth  they 
two  were  friends. 


38* 


450  Pilate's  examination.  [peeiod 

[Luke  23:  13—25;  Matt.  27:  15—26;  Mark  15:  G— 15; 

John  18:  39—40.] 

By  this  time  the  Sanhedrim  have  collected  all  the 
enemies  of  Jesus,  and  all  the  rabble  with  whom  they 
have  influence,  about  Pilate’s  house,  in  order  to  make 
their  demand  appear  to  be  the  wish  of  the  people. 

The  governor,  not  knowing  what  to  do,  proposes 
a  compromise.  He  will  admit  the  validity  of  their 
judgment,  and  call  Christ  a  criminal,  scourge  him 
severely,  and  release  him  ;  as  he  was,  according  to 
custom,  to  release  one  prisoner  on  that  day  for  the 
people. 

But  the  multitude,  instigated  by  the  chief  men, 
demand  the  release  of  one  Barabbas,  a  robber,  now 
awaiting  execution.  But  what  then  shall  I  do  with 
Jesus,  whom  I  have  examined  and  found  innocent  of 
the  charges  alleged  against  him  ?  ‘‘  Crucify  him  !”  is 

the  response.  Pilate  expostulates,  why,  what  evil 
hath  he  done  ?  ”  But  the  only  answer  is,  crucify 
him,  crucify  him  !  ” 

Pilate’s  regard  for  justice  was  not  the  only  thing 
that  restrained  him  from  compliance  with  their  wishes. 
He  was  awe-struck  by  the  calm  demeanor  of  the  ac¬ 
cused  ;  and,  while  on  the  judgment-seat,  he  received 
a  message  from  his  wife,  warning  him  not  to  do  any¬ 
thing  against  that  just  man,”  concerning  whom  she 
had  that  night  suffered  much  in  a  frightful  dream. 
This  touched  the  governor’s  superstition.  But  seeing 
that  a  tumult  was  likely  to  ensue,  he  released  Barab- 


451 


CrvIIEL  ABUSE  BY  THE  SOLDIERS. 

i 

bns;  then  taking  water  he  washed  his  hands  before 
them,  saying,  “I  am  innocent  of  the  blood  of  this 
just  person.”  The  multitude,  now  excited  beyond 
reason,  respond,  ^‘His  blood  be  upon  us,  and  on  our 
children.” 

[Matt.  27:  26 — 30;  Mark  15:  15 — 19;  John  19:  1 — 16.] 

Hoping  to  allay  the  rage  of  the  mob  by  a  partial 
concession,  after  releasing  Barabbas,  Pilate  caused 
his  soldiers  to  take  Jesus  into  the  common  hall,  scourge 
him,  crown  him  with  thorns,  array  him  again  in  the 
mock-attire  of  a  king,  put  a  mock  sceptre  in  his 
hands,  and  in  derision  bow  the  knew  before  him  and 
worship.  This  satire  is  varied  by  beating  him  on  the 
head  and  spitting  upon  him. 

After  the  brutal  soldiers  have  thus  abused  him  to 
their  satiety,  Pilate  leads  him  forth  before  the  multi¬ 
tude,  with  his  blood-reeking  back  and  mock-attire,  and 
setting  him  up  before  them  attempts  to  excite  their 
pity.  Pointing  to  him  as  a  poor,  peaceful,  harmless 
person,  he  says,  “Behold  the  man.”  Has  Cesar,  or 
have  you,  anj^thing  to  fear  from  one  who  wears  a  crown 
of  thorns  so  meekly  ? 

But  instead  of  shaming  them,  or  exciting  sympa¬ 
thy,  the  sight  of  the  injured  suiferer  only  inflames 
their  madness,  and  from  the  sea  of  heads  roars  back, 
long  and  loud,  “crucify  him,  crucify  him!”  “Take 
ye  him  and  crucify  him :  ”  then  says  Pilate,  “  for  I 
find  no  fault  in  him.”  “  By  our  law  he  ought  to  die. 


452 


PILATE  YIELDS  TO  THE  JEWS.  [PERIOD 


because  he  made  himself  the  Son  of  God/'  say  they. 
This  increased  Pilate's  superstitious  fear.  Going 
again  into  the  judgment-hall,  he  says  to  Jesus, 
^‘Whence  art  thou?"  The  latter,  knowing  that  Pi¬ 
late  had  no  aflBnity  for  the  doctrine  of  his  divinity, 
•  gives  him  no  answer.  This  increases  his  wonder,  and 
he  proceeds,  Speakest  thou  not  unto  me  ?  knowest 
thou  not  that  I  have  power  to  crucify  thee,  and  have 
power  to  release  thee  ?  "  His  fear  and  wonder  are 
not  diminished  by  the  answer  that  follows, — ‘‘  Thou 
couldest  have  no  power  against  me,  except  it  were 
given  thee  from  above."  The  purpose  of  a  higher 
Power  works  in  this  transaction.  Once  more  Pilate 
intercedes  for  his  release ;  but  now  comes  a  new  re¬ 
sponse  :  If  thou  let  this  man  go,  thou  art  not  Ce¬ 
sar’s  friend."  Pilate  will  do  anything  rather  than  be 
reported  to  Cesar.  This  appeal,  therefore,  prevails. 
Protesting  against  the  deed  as  unjust,  he  brings  forth 
the  innocent  sufferer,  and  resigns  him  a  victim  to 
their  infuriate  rage.  Thus  ends  this  impious  mock- 
trial  ;  thus  fares  the  Holy  One  who  seeks  to  save 
mankind.  Christ  is  in  the  hands  of  enemies.  With 
a  horrid  joy  they  who  had  planned  his  destruction  see 
the  base  soldiers  insult  and  beat  their  Lord. 


[Matt.  27:  3—10;  Acts  1:  18,  19.] 

But  there  was  one  who  bore  a  leading  part  in  this 
darkest  tragedy  who  could  not  rejoice.  Having  per¬ 
formed  his  part  and  received  his  silver,  Judas  mingled 


VII.]  REMORSE  AND  SUICIDE  OF  JUDAS.  453 

with  his  employers  and  the  mob  to  see  the  result. 
When  he  saw  his  faithful  friend  and  teacher  beaten 
and  spit  upon,  his  hard  heart  relented.  As  the  trial 
proceeded,  his  silver  began  to  burden  him.  Knowing 
the  power  of  Jesus,  he  doubtless  expected  to  see  him 
confound  his  persecutors  and  escape.  But  as  the 
diabolical  work  went  on,  his  soul  grew  sick.  And 
when  at  last  he  saw  Jesus  led  forth,  crowned  with 
thorns,  blood  dripping  from  his  scourged  back,  sur¬ 
rendered  to  the  executioners  with  sentence  of  speedy 
death,  remorse,  deep  and  fierce,  awoke  and  burned  in 
the  traitor’s  breast.  ^  Seeking  his  heartless  employers, 
he  exclaims,  in  bitterness  of  anguish,  I  have  sinned 
in  that  I  have  betrayed  the  innocent  blood.”  But 
they  have  no  sympathy  for  him ;  he  has  served  their 
purpose,  and  now  they  bid  him  settle  with  his  own 
conscience.  Miserable  comforters  are  companions  in 
wickedness.  Flinging  down  the  reward  of  iniquity  in 
the  temple,  the  wretched  man  departs.  He  is  seen 
next  on  the  brink  of  a  precipice  below  the  city,  fas¬ 
tening  a  halter  about  his  own  neck  to  end  his  miser¬ 
able  existence.  As  he  swings  off,  the  halter  breaks, 
and,  plunging  headlong  down  the  precipice,  he  is 
dashed  to  pieces  upon  the  rocks. 

Thus  goes  this  wilful,  selfish,  though  favored  sin¬ 
ner,  to  his  own  place.”  “  The  potter’s  field,” 
bought  with  the  price  of  him  that  was  valued,”  is 
still  a  memorial  of  Judas’  treachery,  and  of  the  truth 
of  prophecy. 


454  GOING  TO  CALVARY.  [PERIOD 

From  this  sinner’s  frightful  death,  let  us  return 
and  follow  him  who  goes  like  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter, 
innocent,  serene,  and  silent. 


[Matt.  27 :  31 — 34 ;  Mark  15  ;  20 — ^23  ;  Luke  28 :  26 — 33  ;  John 
19:  16,  17.] 

After  wearying  themselves  in  mocking  and  abus¬ 
ing  Jesus,  the  heartless  persecutors  clothed  him  again 
in  his  own  garments,  and  started  with  him  to  the 
place  of  execution. 

As  was  the  common  custom  with  criminals,  they 
compelled  him  to  carry  his  own  cross.  But  his  sleep¬ 
less  night,  toils  and  sorrows,  the  agony  in  the  garden, 
the  abuse  of  the  soldiery  and  the  rabble  Jews,  the 
beating  and  scourging,  together  with  the  contempla¬ 
tion  of  the  cruel,  lingering  death  before  him,  have 
exhausted  the  strength  of  the  sufferer ;  and  by  the 
way,  as  they  proceed  to  the  western  gate,  he  faints 
and  sinks  under  his  burden.  Simon  of  Gyrene,  father 
of  two  men,  afterwards  eminent  in  the  church,  comes 
along  just  at  this  juncture,  and  is  compelled  to  assist 
Jesus  in  carrying  his  cross  the  rest  of  the  way  to 
Golgotha. 

As  they  pass  onward,  Jesus  notices,  in  the  long 
procession  that  follows,  certain  women  weeping  and 
lamenting  for  him.  Faint,  sorrowful,  and  staggering 
under  accumulating  sufferings  as  he  is,  the  sight  of 
these  mourners  calls  forth  from  his  great  heart  a 
burst  of  sympathy  for  the  doomed  city,  that  was 
filling  up  its  measure  of  guilt  in  his  murder. 


VII.] 


THE  CRUCIFIXION. 


455 


Turning  towards  them  he  says,  Daughters  of 
Jerusalem,  weep  not  for  me,  but  weep  for  yourselves 
and  your  children.”  Alluding  further  to  the  woes  that 
shall  come  upon  the  nation,  and  the  days  when  they 
shall  cry  to  the  mountains,  ‘^Fall  on  us,  and  to  the 
hills,  cover  us,”  he  concludes  with  the  question,  ‘^If 
these  things  are  done  in  a  green  tree,  what  shall  be 
done  in  the  dry?”  If  such  sufferings  are  executed 
upon  me,  the  innocent,  'what  shall  befall  those  who  are 
steeped  in  crime  ? 

Arrived  at  the  place  of  execution,  a  stupifying 
drink,  as  was  customary  in  such  cases,  is  offered  to 
Christ  and  two  other  men  who  are  to  be  crucified  at 
the  same  time.  Determined  to  suffer  all  in  his  full 
consciousness,  he  refuses  the  potion. 

[Matt.  27:  35—38 ;  Mark  15  :  24—28  ;  Luke  23 :  33,  34,  38  ; 

John  19:  18—24.] 

The  process  now  is  short  and  terrible.  The  cross 
is  planted,  the  Saviour  stripped  and  lifted  up  by  the 
rude  soldiers.  It  is  but  a  moment,  and  the  spikes  are 
driven  through  his  hands  and  feet ;  and  there  at  last, 
with  jeers  and  taunts,  and  horrid  glee,  his  enemies  see 
their  victim  hung  upon  the  tree.  Christ  is  crucified. 
On  either  side  of  him  hangs  a  robber.  He  was 
numbered  with  the  transgressors.”  Over  his  head  the 
passer-by  may  read,  in  large  letters,  ‘‘  Jesus  of  Naz¬ 
areth,  THE  KING  OF  THE  JeWS.” 

And  now  the  soldiers,  with  their  hearts  of  flint, 


456 


THE  CRUCIFIXION. 


[PERIOD 


may  sit  down  and  divide  amongst  them  the  Saviour’s 
garments,  and  gamble  for  his  coat,  as  the  Psalmist  of 
old  predicted  they  would. 

[Matt.  27:  39—44;  Mark  15:  29—32;  Luke  23:  35—37, 
39—43.] 

The  rabble  feed  their  greedy  eyes  with  this  sad¬ 
dest  sight ;  and  they  that  pass  by  revile.  The  chief 
priests,  scribes,  and  elders,  from  the  wall  near  by,  cry 
to  him  in  derision,  come  down  from  the  cross  and  we 
will  believe  on  you!  ”  You,  Son  of  God  and  king  of 
the  Jews  1  save  yourself  now.  You  trusted  in  God, 
let  him  deliver  you.  Thus  they  jeer  and  deride  the 
silent  Jesus,  wdio,  in  his  distress,  utters  nothing  save 
a  prayer  for  their  forgiveness.  Even  one  of  the  thieves 
himself,  in  his  tortures,  joins  the  multitude  and  rails  at 
his  companion  in  death. 

The  other  malefactor,  of  better  spirit,  ventures  a 
word  of  justification  for  the  innocent,  and  rebukes  his 
railing  comrade.  This  man  had  received  a  powerful 
impression  from  Jesus,  and  a  deep  intuition  of  his 
spirit,  so  that  he  recognised  in  him,  even  here,  the 
Son  of  God.  Conscious  of  his  own  wants,  he  prays 
as  a  true  penitent,  Lord,  remember  me  when  thou 
comest  into  thy  kingdom.”  Christ  discerns  in  the  man 
a  true  faith,  and  replies,  in  full  confidence  of  his  own 
divine  power,  “  this  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in 
Paradise.** 


THE  CRUCIFIXION. 


457 


VII.] 

[John  19:  25—27.] 

His  heart  is  compassionate  still ;  and  we  are  glad 
to  learn  that  a  few  fond  friends  stood  at  the  Saviour’s 
cross.  Noticing  his  bereaved  mother,  and  thebeloved 
John  among  them,  with  a  true  filial  affection  he  com¬ 
mends  her  to  the  disciple’s  care. 

[Matt.  27 :  45-^0  ;  Mark  15  :  33—37 ;  Luke  23 :  44—46  ; 

John  19  :  28—30.] 

Nature,  however,  seemed  more  in  sympathy  with 
her  suffering  Son  than  did  the  most  of  those  about 
him.  As  his  life  began  in  miracle,  so  will  it  end. 
While  he  hangs  there  on  the  cross,  his  life  slowly  eb¬ 
bing  away,  the  sky  is  swathed  in  thick  darkness ;  a 
darkness  for  which  no  astronomy  can  account. 

As  the  ninth-hour  of  the  day  advances,  the  suffer¬ 
ings  of  Jesus  reach  their  acme.  For  a  moment  the 
darkness  seems  to  reach  his  soul,  and  he  cries  out  in 
agony,  “  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me?”  Though  the  Father’s  face  seemed  hidden,  he 
could  still  say,  ‘‘My  Grod.''  He  felt  that  feeling  of 
desertion  and  loneliness  which  the  Christian  some¬ 
times  feels  in  hours  of  deepest  trial.  And  who  can 
say  that  it  was  not  an  infinitely  deeper  and  more 
dreadful  loneliness  that  oppressed  him  ?  The  Father 
was  still  his  Father ;  but  the  transgressions  of  a  world 
were  also  at  that  hour  upon  him. 

The  blood  now  began  to  fail,  and  that  burning  fe¬ 
ver  came  on  which  attends  this  form  of  death.  They 

39 


458 


IT  IS  FINISHED. 


[PERIOD 


who  stand  near,  hear  the  faint  lips  murmer,  I  thirst.’' 
A  sponge,  filled  with  the  sour  wine  used  by  the  sol¬ 
diers,  is  reached  to  him.  As  if  refreshed  by  the 
draught,  summoning  all  his  energies,  he  exclaims, 
with  a  loud  voice,  ‘^It  is  finished!”  Finished,  the 
work  of  redemption.  Finished,  the  sufferings  of  this 
evil  time.  The  sufferer’s  head  now  sinks  down  upon 
his  bosom,  the  fainting  lips  softly  and  sweetly  utter. 
Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit,”  and — 
Jesus  is  dead  1 

[Matt.  27:  51—56  ;  Mark  15  :  38—41 ;  Luke  23  :  45,  47—49.] 

The  meek,  loving,  holy,  magnanimous  friend  of 
sinners,  there  ebbed  away  his  mortal  life  1  Dumb  na¬ 
ture  can  not  stand  that  sight.  As  the  death-rattle 
sounds  from  the  cross,  earth  shudders  ;  quakes  till  the 
tombs  fly  open,  and  the  very  dead  leap  from  their 
graves.  The  priest  in  the  temple  sees  the  veil,  that 
hid  the  holy  of  holies,  burst  asunder.  The  centurion 
and  soldiers  who  watched  the  crucified,  and  saw  him 
die,  and  saw  the  earthquake,”  feared  greatly,  say¬ 
ing,  Truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God.”  And  all  the 
people  that  came  together  to  that  sight,  beholding  the 
things  which  were  done,  smote  their  breasts,  and  re¬ 
turned.” 


[John  19:  31—37.] 

To  hasten  the  death  of  the  malefactors,  in  order 
that  they  might  be  taken  down  before  six  o’clock,  the 


vir.] 


THE  BURIAL. 


459 


commencement  of  the  Jewish  sabbath,  the  soldiers 
break  their  legs.  Coming  to  Jesus  for  the  same  pur¬ 
pose,  they  find  him  already  dead.  To  prevent,  how¬ 
ever,  the  possibility  of  mistake,  a  'wanton  Roman 
thrusts  his  spear  to  the  heart  of  the  Saviour;  and  the 
last  drops  of  his  heart’s  blood,  mingled  with  the  water 
of  the  pericardium,  flow  from  the  wound. 

[Matt.  27;  57^66;  Mark  15:  42—47;  Luke  23:  50—56; 

John  19:  38 — 42.] 

The  unrighteous  execution  of  Christ  was  the  occa¬ 
sion  of  drawing  from  one  member  of  the  Sanhedrim 
an  open  avowal  of  his  attatchment  to  him.  Joseph 
of  Arimathea,  like  Nicodemus,  and  perhaps  other 
members  of  the  senate,  had  secret  convictions  of 
Christ’s  Messiahship,  but  feared  to  take  a  bold  stand 
against  the  great  majority  of  their  council.  Now, 
however,  Joseph  goes  boldly  forward,  obtains  from 
Pilate  leave  to  bury  the  deceased,  and  he  and  Nico¬ 
demus  decently  dress  and  embalm  the  body,  so  far  as 
time  permits,  and  lay  it  in  a  ^^new  tomb,  hewn  out  in 
the  rock  thus  frustrating  the  design  of  his  enemies 
to  bury  him  with  the  wicked.”  Thus  was  he  with 
the  rich  in  his  death.” 

Some  faithful  and  believing  women,  who  w^atched 
in  sorrow  the  dying  Redeemer,  and  marked  where  he 
was  buried,  went  immediately  and  prepared  spices 
and  ointments”  for  a  more  thorough  embalming  of  the 
body.  But  the  hour  of  the  sabbath  coming  on  befo're 


460 


THE  EURIAL. 


they  had  finished  their  preparations,  they  defer  the 
process,  intending  to  complete  it  after  the  sabbath,  on 
Sunday  morning.  Jesus  is  in  his  grave;  but  the 
chief  priests  and  Pharisees,  his  enemies,  are  not  yet 
at  ease. 

“We  remember  that  that  deceiver  said,  while  he 
was  yet  alive.  After  three  days  I  will  rise  again.'' 
To  prevent  the  possibility  of  his  removal  from  the 
tomb,  and  the  consequent  report  of  his  resurrection 
that  might  be  circulated,  they  obtain  permission  and 
means  from  Pilate  to  “  make  the  sepulchre  as  sure  as 
they  can,"  until  the  third  day.  The  heavy  stone  over 
the  entrance  of  the  tomb  is  sealed ;  and  a  band  of 
soldiers,  under  strictest  injunctions,  set  to  guard 
the  grave  against  egress  or  ingress. 

So  ends  this  darkest  tragedy  in  human  history. 
The  few  faithful  mourn ;  the  wicked  rejoice ;  the 
toiling,  sorrowing  Son  of  Man  rests  from  his  labors. 
Nature,  that  paled  and  shuddered  while  Christ  was 
dying,  again  grows  calm.  The  sabbath  sun  shines 
softly  down  over  the  guilty  city.  A  delirious  world 
goes  on  in  its  giddy  whirl,  as  if  no  Christ  had  died. 
Alas !  Alas ! 


PERIOD  VIIL 


FEOM  THE  RESURRECTION  TO  THE 

ASCENSION. 


When  human  heroes  depart  they  come  not  back. 
But  Christ  was  more  than  human.  It  was  not  with¬ 
out  reason  that  his  enemies  ‘‘  made  sure  the  sepul- 
chre.’*  We  know  how  frequently,  when  predicting  his 
death,  he  added  the  promise  that  after  three  days’" 
he  would  rise  again ;  that  he  had  power  to  lay 
down  his  life  and  to  take  it  again.”  The  stupified, 
desponding  disciples  needed  some  new  pledge  of  his 
future  communion  and  continued  presence.  The  truth 
of  his  supremacy  over  death,  and  his  life-giving  pow¬ 
er,  needed  an  illustration.  The  doctrine  of  immor¬ 
tality  through  him  needed  the  confirmation  of  a  risen 
Lord ;  and,  as  was  remarked  in  the  introduction,  it  was 
to  be  anticipated  that  he  whose  birth  was  a  miracle 
would  not  leave  the  world  as  a  common  personage, 
much  less  as  a  malefactor.  His  ministry  as  teacher, 
indeed,  and  as  our  atoning  sacrifice,  ended  with  his 
death.  But  these  labors  were  precursors  of  a  regal 


9 


39* 


4G*2  THE  RESURRECTION.  [PERIOD 

triumph  and  an  everlasting  reign,  and  though  his  em¬ 
pire  was  that  of  truth,  and  his  reign  was  to  be. invisi¬ 
ble  and  spiritual,  it  was  surely  desirable  that  his 
disciples,  who  as  yet  but  imperfectly  understood  his 
plan,  should  see  him,  as  it  were,  in  transition  from 
humiliation  to  glory  ;  and  gradually  rise,  from  commun¬ 
ion  with  their  visible  Lord,  to  a  purely  spiritual  in¬ 
tercourse. 

For  such,  and  kindred  reasons,  the  resurrection  of 
Christ  might  be  anticipated.  At  the  same  time  he 
should  not  be  expected  to  rise  from  the  dead  to  resume 
his  personal  ministry  among  the  ungodly.  He  had 
introduced  the  gospel  of  reconciliation,  and  given  to 
the  unbelieving  world  sufficient  proof  of  his  divine 
commission,  and  if  they  would  not  believe  him  befoi:e, 
neither  Trould  they  be  persuaded  ”  if  he  should  rise 
from  the  dead  and  preach  unto  them. 

That  Christ  really  died,  neither  friend  nor  foe 
could  doubt.  No  man  of  that  age  pretended  to  doubt 
it.  His  enemies  and  executioners  were  the  steadfast 

I 

witnesses  to  this  truth.  Hence,  in  their  efforts  to  re¬ 
fute  the  assertion  of  his  resurrection,  they  contended 
that  his  disciples  were  either  deceived  themselves,  or 
practised  deception  upon  others. 

But  the  circumstances  of  the  case  prevent  the  pos¬ 
sibility  of  this.  The  disciples  never  understood  the 
predictions  he  had  made,  nor  expected  his  resurrection, 
till  after  it  occurred.  They  were  in  despair  when  he 
died.  They  were  moreover  few  and  weak.  The 


VIII.] 


THE  RESURRECTION. 


463 


strength  of  the  nation  was  against  them.  Nothing 
but  the  actual  re-appearance  of  Christ  could  have 
given  them  courage  cheerfully  to  undertake  the  diffu¬ 
sion  of  Christianity.  To  fabricate  a  rumor  of  their 
Master's  resurrection  would  have  been  far  from  their 
thoughts.  Nor  were  they  in  any  such  expectation  of 
his  re-appearance  as  to  be  deceived  by  a  vision  or 
phantom.  They  were,  on  the  other  hand,  so  incredu¬ 
lous,  that  only  personal  interviews  with  the  bodily 
Christ,  social  intercourse,  seeing  him  eat  and  drink 
with  them,  could  satisfy  them  that  they  were  not  de¬ 
ceived. 

As  to  the  possibility  of  resuscitating  the  body  of 
Jesus  by  natural  means,  there  certainly  was  no  hope. 
The  sorrows,  and  toils,  and  severe  sufferings  which 
preceded  the  crucifixion,  his  evident  death  some  time 
before  he  was  taken  from  the  cross,  the  piercing  by 
the  soldier,  and  the  burial,  made  the  thought  of  resus¬ 
citation  utterly  hopeless,  even  if  means  could  have 
been  used  immediately.  Add  to  this  that  the  tomb 
was  sealed  and  guarded  bj^  hostile  soldiers  for  two 
nights  and  a  day,  and  that  when  Jesus  appeared  it 
was  not  as  one  restored  from  sickness  or  death 
natural  means, — not  as  a  faint  and  feeble,  almost 
bloodless,  person, — but  that  he  seemed  at  his  first  ap¬ 
pearance  strong  and  vigorous  as  if  no  spear  had  drain¬ 
ed  his  heart ;  and  the  impossibility  of  restoration  by 
natural  agencies  is  evident  and  indisputable. 

Finally,  the  body  left  the  grave  while  the  armed 


464  THE  RESURRECTION.  [PERIOD 

guard  (for  whom  to  sleep  at  their  post  was  death) 
kept  watch.  This  no  unbeliever  or  enemy  disputed. 

Thus  stands  this  subject  of  the  resurrection,  apart 
from  the  testimony  of  credible  witnesses,  who  lived 
lives  of  toil  and  suffering,  and  died  the  martyr’s  death, 
in  confirmation  of  their  story  of  a  risen  Lord. 

We  may  now  resume  the  narrative  in  its  chrono¬ 
logical  order. 

[Matt.  28  : 1 — 4  ;  Mark  16  :  1 — 4  ;  Luke  24  :1 — 3  ;  Jolm  20:  1,  2.] 

Fast  by  the  sealed  tomb  in  the  rock,  the  soldiers 
kept  their  watch.  The  second  night  is  waning ;  the 
third  day  approaches ;  the  yawning  Romans  begin 
to  look  wistfully  to  the  orient  for  the  first  streak  of 
morning :  but  the  first  light  breaks  not  in  the  east  to¬ 
day.  Of  a  sudden,  from  above,  an  unlooked  for  splen¬ 
dor  flashes  down  upon  the  watchers.  Looking  up,  they 
see  two  angel  forms,  robed  as  it  were  in  lightning, 
descending  straight  upon  them.  Down  they  .come 
with  flash  and  roar  as  of  a  bursting  cloud ;  whereat 
the  rock  trembles,  the  tomb  flies  open,  and  the  terri¬ 
fied  keepers  ”  fall  senseless  in  a  swoon  ! 

When  they  recover  from  this  shock  and  again  look 
around  them,  all  is  calm;  but  there,  in  long  white 
garments,  are  the  angels  by  the  tomb’s  mouth,  one  of 
them  sitting  upon  the  stone  that  had  closed  it.  The 
awe-struck  soldiers  retreat,  leaving  their  trust  to  its 
new  keepers. 

By  this  time  day  is  breaking  over  Jerusalem.  The 


VIII.]  THE  RESURRECTION.  465 

devout  women,  who  on  Friday  evening  had  prepared 
their  spices,  are  early  abroad  to  finish  the  embalming 
of  the  body  of  their  Lord.  By  the  way  they  dis¬ 
course  together  concerning  the  great  stone  that  shuts 
the  tomb,  and  whom  they  will  get  to  roll  it  away. 
To  their  surprise  they  find  the  tomb  open.  The  first 
impression  is  that  the  Romans,  or  perhaps  the  hostile 
Jews,  have  removed  the  corpse.  Under  this  impres¬ 
sion  Mai^r  immediately  starts  back  to  the  city,  run¬ 
ning,  in  her  haste  and  agitation,  to  inform  Peter  and 
John  that  they  have  taken  away  the  Lord  out  of 
the  sepulchre.’’ 


[Mark  16  :  5—7 ;  Matt.  28  :  5—7  ;  Luke  24 :  4—8.] 

The  other  women  remain  at  the  sepulchre  awaiting 
the  return  of  Mary  with  the  disciples.  In  their  per¬ 
plexity  they  at  length  venture  into  the  tomb  (it  be¬ 
ing,  as  tombs  in  that  country  are  generally,  a  room 
large  enough  to  admit  several  persons).  Here,  to  in¬ 
crease  their  fear,  they  perceive  in  the  dim  light  two 
young  men  (apparently),  sitting  ”  (one  of  them,  at 
least)  on  the  right  side,  in  shining  garments.”  Ri¬ 
sing  up,  one  of  the  angels,  for  such  they  were,  ad¬ 
dresses  them  encouragingly,  bidding  them  not  fear, 
for,  says  he,  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus  which  was 
crucified  ;  he  is  not  here,  for  he  is  risen  as  he  said.” 
Reminding  them  of  Christ’s  prediction  while  yet  in 
Galilee,  that  he  would  rise  upon  the  third  day  from 
Ills  death,  and  showing  them  the  now  vacant  place 


466 


THE  RESURRECTION. 


[PERIOD 


where  he  had  lain  (probably  a  niche  cut  into  the  rock 
on  the  side  of  the  vault),  he  bids  them  go  and  tell  the 
disciples  ^^that  he  is  risen,’’  and  that  he  will  ^^go  be¬ 
fore  them  into  Galilee.” 

Whether  Christ  had  left  the  tomb  while  the  sol¬ 
diers  were  in  their  swoon,  or  after  their  retreat,  is  un¬ 
certain  ;  but  he  is  gone ;  the  Lord  is  risen. 

[Matt.  28 :  8—10  ;  Mark  16:8;  Luke  24 :  9—11.1 

Trembling  and  agitated  by  mingled  fear  and  joy, 
these  women  now  leave  the  tomb,  and  “  run  to  bring 
the  disciples  word.”  As  they  are  going  in  haste  and 
silence  towards  the  city,  Jesus  himself  meets  them 
in  the  way,  salutes  them,  saying,  ‘^Be  not  afraid,” 
and  bids  them,  as  the  angels  had  done,  Go  tell  my 
brethren  (the  disciples)  that  they  go  into  Galilee,  and 
there  shall  they  see  me.” 

The  apostles,  however,  with  the  exception  of  Pe¬ 
ter  and  John,  regarded  their  words  ‘‘as  idle  tales, 
and  they  believed  them  not.” 

[John  20  :  3—10  ;  Luke  24  :  12.] 

Peter  and  John  seem  to  have  been  in  a  part  of  the 
city  less  remote  from  the  sepulchre  than  that  where 
the  other  disciples  were.  Mary  therefore  sought  them, 
and  they,  upon  hearing  that  the  tomb  was  open, 
started  in  haste  to  the  place,  followed  by  Mary. 
Taking  a  diflferent  road  from  that  by  which  the 
other  women  returned,  they  did  not  meet  them,  nor 


VIII.]  THE  RESURRECTION.  467 

see  Jesus.  John,  outrunning  Peter,  arrived  first  at 
the  sepulchre.  Looking  in  he  discovers  the  grave- 
clothes  lying  there,  but  does  not  enter  the  tomb  till 
Peter  comes  up.  The  latter  goes  directly  into  the 
sepulchre,  and  is  followed  by  John. 

They  find  the  linen  clothes  ”  laid  in  order,  the 
napkin  that  had  been  about  the  head  of  Christ, 
wrapped  together  in  a  place  by  itself.” 

This  fact  that  the  clothes  ”  containing  the  hun¬ 
dred  pounds  of  spices  ”  were  left,  arranged  in  order, 
showed  clearly  that  the  grave  had  not  been  robbed,  or 
the  body  removed  by  violence. 

The  prediction  of  Christ  concerning  the  resurrec¬ 
tion  now  occurs  to  them,  and  the  conviction  arises 
faintly  that  he  has  risen  from  the  dead.  Wondering 
‘‘at  that  which  was  come  to  pass,”  they  now  depart. 

[John  20  :  11—18  ;  Mark  16  :  9—11.] 

Mary,  who  had  returned  with  or  after  them,  re¬ 
mained  “  at  the  sepulchre  weeping.  “  And  as  she 
wept,  she  stooped  d^wn,  and  looked  into  the  sepulchre, 
and  seeth  two  angels  in  white  sitting,  the  one  at  the 
head,  and  the  other  at  the  feet,  where  the  body  of  Je¬ 
sus  had  lain.” 

While  she  stands  looking  into  the  sepulchre,  and 
telling  the  cause  of  her  sorrow  to  the  inquiring  an¬ 
gel,  Jesus  himself  comes  to  the  tomb.  Turning  around 
and  seeing  a  man  behind  her,  having  as  yet  received 
no  intimation  of  the  resurrection,  and  being  in  tears, 


468 


THE  RESURRECTION. 


[PERIOD 


she  notices  the  person  indifferently,  supposing  it  to  be 
the  gardener.  To  the  inquiry  why  she  weeps,  and 
whom  she  seeks,  she  replies,  “  If  thou  have  borne 
him  hence,  tell  me  where  thou  hast  laid  him.’’  Jesus 
now  says  to  her  in  a  significant  tone,  Mary  !”  The 
well-known  voice  thrills  through  her,  and  she  cries  out 
in  joy,  ‘‘Rabboni.”  As  she  advances  to  embrace 
Jesus,  under  the  impression  that  he  has  come  back  to 
sojourn  again  on  earth  as  he  did  before  his  death,  he 
refuses  the  embrace,  to  awaken  in  her  higher  views  of 
his  present  manifestation,  and  bids  her  immediately 
go  and  tell  his  disciples  that  he  is  risen,  but  has  not 
yet  ascended  to  his  Father.  This  implies  that  the 
‘‘  little  time  ”  that  they  were  to  be  separated  from  him 
is  not  yet  fulfilled,  that  he  is  not  now  to  remain  with 
them  bodily.  His  address  is  significant,  also,  in  the 
view  it  presents  of  their  relation  to  God.  I  ascend 
unto  my  Father  and  your  Father,  and  to  my  God  and 
your  God.”  They  are  his  ‘‘brethren,”  and  through 
him  brought  into  filial  relationship  to  his  Almighty 
Father.  * 

*  It  should  be  remarked  that  the  order  of  Christ’s  appearance  to 
Mary  and  the  other  women,  is  uncertain.  Mark  says  he  appeared 
first  to  Mary.  The  circumstances  and  facts  narrated,  seem,  how¬ 
ever,  to  imply  that  he  appeared  first  of  all  to  the  other  women. 
The  solution  given  by  Robinson  seems  satisfactory  in  favor  of  the 
order  here  adopted.  “  Mark  narrates  three,  and  only  three,  ap¬ 
pearances  of  our  Lord  :  of  these  three,  that  to  Mary  Magdalene 
takes  place  first.”  “  First,’’  in  Mark,  is  therefore  to  be  taken  rel- 
atively. 


THE  RESURRECTION. 


469 


VIII.] 


[Matt.  28  : 11—15.] 

While  the  above  events  were  transpiring,  some  of 
the  terrified  watch’'  had  aroused  the  chief  priests, 
and  informed  them  of  ‘‘  the  things  that  were  done.’’ 
A  council  is  immediately  convened,  to  deliberate  and 
determine  what  shall  be  done.  The  result  is,  the  sol¬ 
diers  are  bribed  to  circulate  a  false  report,  the  San¬ 
hedrim  engaging  to  stand  between  them  and  the  gov¬ 
ernor,  if  investigation  should  be  made  by  him.  Pilate, 
being  indifferent  to  the  matter  of  appointing  the 
watch,  of  course  would  be  indifferent  to  the  results ; 
and  as  Jesus  appeared  after  his  resurrection,  so  far  as 
we  know,  only  to  those  who  believed  upon  him,  the 
Sanhedrim  and  unbelieving  Jews  gave  a  degree  of 
currency  to  the  report  that  the  body  was  stolen  while 
the  soldiers  slept. 


[1  Cor.  15  ;  5  ;  Mark  16  :  12—13  ;  Luke  24  :  13—35.] 

Sometime  during  this  first  day  of  the  week,”  our 
Lord  appeared  unto  Peter,  but  where,  and  under  what 
circumstances,  we  are  not  informed.  Peter’s  testimo¬ 
ny  had  more  influence  on  the  yet  unbelieving  portion 
of  the  disciples  than  had  that  of  the  women. 

On  the  afternoon  of  this  same  day,  two  disci¬ 
ples,  probably  not  of  the  eleven  apostles,  went  on 
foot  to  Emmaus,  a  town  about  seven  miles  from  Jeru¬ 
salem.  They  had  heard  of  the  absence  of  the  body, 
and  of  the  vision  of  angels,  who  said  that  Christ  was 
risen,  but  had  not  heard  that  he  had  been  seen  by  any 

40 


470  CHRIST  APPEARS  TO  HIS  DISCIPLES.  [PERIOD 

one.  On  the  way,  they  converse  earnestly  concern¬ 
ing  the  great  events  of  the  last  three  days.  As  they 
pass  along  a  third  person  joins  them,  and  inquires  the 
cause  of  their  sadness,  and  the  subject  of  their  earnest 
discourse.  Having  no  thought  of  seeing  Christ,  per¬ 
haps  never  having  been  intimately  acquainted  with  him, 
or  for  some  other  reason,  they  do  not  recognize  the 
stranger,  but  proceed  to  tell  him  of  the  frustration  of 
their  hopes  in  the  death  of  Jesus,  and  the  mysterious 
evacuation  of  the  tomb. 

The  stranger  then  takes  up  the  prophecies  of  the 
Old  Testament  referring  to  the  death  of  Christ, 
showing  them  that  these  sufferings  were  necessary  to 
the  completion  of  Messiah’s  work. 

Cheered,  and  deeply  interested  in  his  discourse, 
they  prevail  upon  him  to  stop  with  them  at  Emmaus. 

When  they  sat  down  to  table  with  their  guest,  he 
took  bread,  and  blessed  it,  and  brake,  and  gave  to 
them,”  in  that  peculiar  manner  which  only  one  man 
had  ever  done  before  in  their  presence.  This  opens 
their  eyes,  they  scrutinize  the  stranger,  and,  to  their 
surprise  and  joy,  recognize  their  Lord. 

Jesus  immediately  after  departs,  and  they  return 
to  the  city  to  announce  the  news  to  the  other  dis¬ 
ciples. 

They  find  the  eleven  assembled,  with  other  be¬ 
lievers,  already  rejoicing,  though  with  lingering  doubt 

and  astonishment,  in  the  report  of  Peter  and  the  wo- 

« 

men  that  had  seen  him. 


VIII.  CHRIST  APPEARS  TO  HIS  DISCIPLES.  471 

[Mark  16  :  14;  1  Cor.  15:  5  ;  Luke  24:  36 — 49  ;  John  20  : 

19—23.] 

The  same  evening  ten  of  the  apostles,  Thomas 
being  absent,  were  together  taking  their  evening  meal, 
with  doors  closed  ^^for  fear  of  the  Jews/’  To  their 
surprise  and  terror  supposing  that  they  had  seen  a 
spirit”)  Jesus  suddenly  enters  the  room,  saying. 
Peace  be  unto  you.”  He  reproves  them  for  their 
scepticism  concerning  his  resurrection,  shows  them  the 
wounds  in  his  hands  and  feet  in  confirmation  of  his  ac¬ 
tual  corporeal  presence,  and,  as  if  to  remove  the  pos¬ 
sibility  of  doubt,  asks  for  food,  and  eats  before  them. 
He  then  refers  them  back  to  his  former  predictions 
of  death  and  resurrection,  shows  the  necessity  of 
these  things  for  the  fulfilment  of  Old  Testament 
prophecy,  and  in  order  that  repentance  and  remis¬ 
sion  of  sins  might  be  preached  in  his  name  among  all 
nations.” 

He  then  declares  that  they  are  to  be  witnesses 
of  these  things;”  and  that  after  they  shall  be  en¬ 
dued  with  power  from  on  high,”  they  are  to  go  forth 
as  he  had  done,  preaching  repentance  and  forgiveness 
of  sins.  He  closes  his  address  by  breathing  upon 
them,  saying,  at  the  same  time,  Receive  ye  the  Holy 
Ghost;”  thus  symbolizing  and  introducing  that  inspi¬ 
ration  which  they  were  to  receive  and  exercise  as  his 
ambassadors. 

We  have  no  other  recorded  instance  of  Christ’s 
appearance  until  the  evening  of  the  next  Sunday. 


472  UNBELIEF  OF  THOMAS.  [PERIOD 

Probably  many  interviews  between  Christ  and 
single  disciples  have  been  omitted  by  the  sacred 
writers,  only  the  more  remarkable  being  recorded. 

[John  20 :  24—29.] 

Thomas,  ever  obtuse  and  faithless,  was  informed 

by  the  other  disciples  of  the  re-appearance  of  Christ ; 

but  so  inconceivable  did  the  thing  appear  to  him,  that 

he  declared  that  he  could  not  believe  unless  he  should 

put  his  fingers  into  the  very  nail-prints  on  the  Saviour’s 

» 

hands,  and  into  the  wound  in  his  side. 

Upon  the  next  Sunday  evening  the  eleven  were 
together  in  the  same  manner,  and  Jesus  again  appear¬ 
ed  among  them.  Aware  of  the  unbelief  of  Thomas, 
he  addressed  him  at  once  with  the  startling  language. 
Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold  my  hands  ;  and 
reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into  my  side  T" 

So  powerful  is  the  impression  made  upon  Thomas 
by  this  address,  and  the  appearance  of  Christ,  that 
he  cries  out,  as  no  disciple  had  done  before,  ^‘My 
Lord  and  my  God  !”  The  impression  of  his  divinity 
overwhelmed  and  subdued  him. 

The  Lord  then  said  in  a  kind  but  significant  man¬ 
ner,  Thomas,  because  thou  hast  seen  me,  thou  hast 
believed ;  blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and 
yet  have  believed.” 

The  most  commendable  faith  is  not  based  upon 
palpable,  sensuous  manifestations  of  Christ.  Few 
would  ever  attain  a  saving  faith,  if  they  demanded 


CPIRIST  IN  GALILEE. 


475 


VIII.] 

such  evidence  as  did  Thomas.  His  long  intimacy  with 
Christ,  and  knowledge  of  his  power,  should  have  pre^ 
pared  him  to  receive  readily  the  testimony  of  his 
brethren  respecting  his  Lord’s  re-appearance. 

It  is  note-worthy  that  Jesus  approves  the  address 
that  names  him  God.’’ 

[Matt.  28  :  16  ;  John  21 :  1-^24.] 

The  first  message  sent  by  Christ  to  his  disciples, 
after  the  resurrection,  was,  that  they  should  repair  to 
Galilee,  the  theatre  of  most  of  their  former  inter¬ 
course.  It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  Christ  would 
remain  long  at  Jerusalem,  his  object  being  not  now  to 
make  converts,  so  much  as  to  strengthen  the  faith  of 
those  who  already  believed.  The  greater  part  of  the 
true  disciples  lived  in  Galilee,  and  it  was  Christ’s  de¬ 
sign  to  have  at  least  one  personal  interview  with 
all,  or  most  of  them,  before  his  ascension  to  his 
Father. 

Accordingly,  the  next  week  after  the  close  of  the 
feast  of  Passover,  the  apostles  returned  to  their  homes, 
and  resumed  their  customary  avocations. 

The  next  meeting  recorded  in  our  history,  was  at 
the  sea  of  Tiberias,  or  lake  of  Gennesaret,  the  scene 
of  so  many  interesting  incidents  in  the  Saviour’s  life. 
Seven  of  the  apostles  had  spent  a  fruitless  night  upon 
the  lake  with  their  fishing  boats  and  nets.  In  the  morn¬ 
ing,  when  about  ‘‘  two  hundred  cubits  ”  out,  some  one 
on  shore  calls  to  them  familiarly,  Children,  have  ye 

40.* 


474  CHRIST  IN  GALILEE.  [PERIOD 

any  meat?”  They  answer,  and  he  tells  them 

to  cast  their  ‘^net  on  the  right  side  of  the  vessel,” 
and  they  shall  be  successful.  Obeying  the  direction, 
the  net  is  immediately  filled. 

This  surprising  success,  so  like  what  once  before 
occurred  under  the  Saviour’s  direction,  struck  the  dis¬ 
ciples,  and  the  susceptible  John  now  recognized  the 
voice,  and  exclaimed,  “  It  is  the  Lord.”  Peter,  in 
his  joy  and  haste,  leaped  overboard  and  swam  ashore, 
leaving  the  others  to  drag  the  net  with  its  “  hundred 
and  fifty-three  great  fishes.” 

A  meal  is  prepared  and  eaten,  after  which  Jesus 
questions  Peter  respecting  the  strength  of  his  attach¬ 
ment  to  himself.  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou 
me  more  than  these?”  more  than  the  other  disciples 
love  me  ?  Peter  answers  affirmatively,  and  is  directed 
to  prove  his  love  by  deeds  of  devotion  to  Christ’s 
flock.  Upon  the  third  repetition  of  the  question  in 
the  same  form,  Peter  discovers  that  allusion  is  made 
to  his  strong  declarations  of  fidelity  made  on  the 
night  of  the  Passover,  and  to  his  weak  and  sinful  de¬ 
nial  of  his  Master  so  soon  afterward.  Humbled  and 
mortified,  but  still  conscious  of  true  devotion  to.  his 
Master,  he  appeals  to  him  as  one  who  knows  the 
heart :  Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things  ;  thou  knowesf 
that  I  love  thee.”  Jesus  again  bids  him  feed  his 
sheep;  and  somewhat  enigmatically  intimates  that 
Peter  shall  hereafter  have  occasion  to  suffer  for  his 
sake. 


VIII.]  CHRIST  MEETS  FIVE  HUNDRED  BELIEVERS.  475 

Peter  then  makes  an  iiiquiry  respecting  the  fate 
of  John.  Regarding  the  question  as  profitless,  if  not 
improper,  Christ  answers  him  accordingly :  What  is 
that  to  thee  V 

[Matt.  28  :  16—20;  1  Cor.  15  :  6.] 

By  Christ’s  direction  notice  had  been  circulated 
throughout  Galilee,  for  a  general  convocation  of  all 
believers.  A  certain  mountain  was  fixed  upon  by  the 
Saviour  as  the  place  where  he  would  hold  his  last 
general  interview  with  his  friends.  In  accordance 
with  his  purpose  of  revealing  himself  only  to  belivers 
a  solitary  place  was  selected ;  and  probably  notice  of 
the  meeting  was  given  only  to  those  for  whom  it  was 
intended. 

Here  more  than  five  hundred  assembled  to  receive 
the  farewell  charge  of  their  divine  Lord.  The  sub¬ 
stance  of  his  charge  to  them  is  given  in  the  conclud¬ 
ing  words.  All  pow’er  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven 
and  in  earth.  Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations, 
baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  teaching  them  to  ob¬ 
serve  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you; 
and  lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  to  the  end  of  the 
world.”  The  whole  church  of  believers  are  thus  com¬ 
missioned  to  preach  the  gospel.  The  whole  world  is 
to  receive  it ;  and  Christ,  in  the  plenitude  of  his  pow¬ 
er,  will  accompany  his  ambassadors  until  the  great 
work  shall  be  achieved. 


476  LAST  INTERVIEW  WITH  HIS  DISCIPLES.  [PERIOD 

[1  Cor.  15  :  7  ;  Acts  1  :  3 — 12  ;  Luke  24  :  50 — 53  ;  Mark  16  ; 

15—22  ;  John  20  :  30,  31,  and  21  :  25.] 

Soon  after  the  above  interview  with  the  Galileans, 
Jesus  and  the  eleven  returned  again  to  Jerusalem. 
Here  it  is  mentioned  that  he  was  “  seen  of  James  ”  on 
one  occasion,  but  the  particular  time  and  place  are 
not  specified. 

Thus  forty  days  passed  from  the  time  of  the  re¬ 
surrection.  The  faith  of  the  disciples  was  strength¬ 
ened  and  enlightened.  They  had  received  higher 
views  of  the  plan  of  Messiah’s  kingdom.  With  the 
endowment  of  the  promised  spirit,  they  would  be  pre¬ 
pared  to  go  forth  as  ambassadors  for  Christ,  and  suc¬ 
cessfully  promulgate  his  gospel. 

And  now  the  time  came  when  the  divine  Emmanuel 
would  ascend  to  his  Father.  His  sojourn  upon  our 
unworthy  earth  was  about  to  terminate.  Henceforth 
his  manifestation  must  be  spiritual,  and  invisible  to  the 
carnal  sense. 

Preparatory  to  his  departure  he  meets  the  eleven 
and  holds  one  more  friendly  interview.  He  bids  them 
remain  at  Jerusalem  until  they  should  receive  the 
baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  he  tells  them  will 
take  place  not  many  days  hence.” 

Still  the  veil  was  upon  their  hearts  respecting  the 
entire  spirituality  of  his  kingdom.  They  could  not 
yet  abandon  the  carnal  notion  that  the  outer  theocra¬ 
cy  was  to  be  restored  and  perfected  by  him.  To 
their  inquiry  whether  Christ  will  now  restore  the 


THE  ASCENSION. 


477 


VIII.] 

kingdom  to  Israel/’  he  replies  that  it  is  not  for  them 
to  know  the  times  or  the  seasons  which  the  Father 
hath  put  in  his  own  power.”  They  need  not  be  con¬ 
cerned  about  the  plans  of  Providence.  Enough  that 
they  attend  to  their  own  appointed  duties.  Their 
commission,  he  again  tells  them,  is,  to  be  his  witness¬ 
es  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria, 
and  unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.”  They 
shall  have  the  presence  of  his  spirit  to  aid  them,  and 
be  endowed  with  the  power  of  working  miracles,  in 
confirmation  of  their  divine  appointment.  With  such 
divine  guidance  and  support,  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  He 
that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved :  but  he 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.” 

So  saying,  Christ  leads  his  disciples  across  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  down  the  eastern  slope,  near  to 
Bethany.  Here  he  pauses,  lifts  up  his  hands,  and 
blesses  them,  and,  as  he  closes  his  benediction,  rises 
before  them  heavenward,  borne  upward  by  an  unseen 
power,  until  a  cloud  receives  him  out  of  their  sight. 

Thus,  with  a  benediction  and  in  a  miracle,  ends  the 
earthly  sojourn  of  the  Son  of  God. 

“  And  many  other  signs  truly  did  Jesus  in  the 
presence  of  his  disciples^  which  are  not  written  in 
this  hook :  but  these  arc  written  that  ye  might  believe 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christy  the  Son  of  Gfod  ;  and  that  be¬ 
lieving  ye  might  have  life  through  his  name” 


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SYNOPTICAL  HARMONY  AND  INDEX. 


PERIOD  FIRST. 


MATTHEW. 

MARK. 

LUKE. 

JOHN.  Page 

1  :  18  to  25 

1  :  26  to  56 

1  :  14  183 

2  :  I  to  20 

185 

2  :  21  to  38 

188 

2  :  1  to  12 

190 

2  :  13  to  18 

193 

2  :  18  to  23 

2  :  39,  40 

195 

2  :  41  to  52 

197 

PERIOD  SECOND. 


3  :  1  to  12 

3  :  13  :  17 

4  :  1  to  11 


1  :  1  to  8 
1  :  9  to  11 

1  :  12,  13 


3  :  1  to  18 

3  :  21  to  23 

4  :  1  to  13 


1  19  to  28 

1  :  29  to  42 

1  :  43  to  51 

2  :  1  to  12 


206 

212 

214 

216 

222 

224 

226 


PERIOD  THIRD. 


2  :  13  to  26 

232 

3  :  1  to  21 

233 

3  :  22  to  86 

236 

4:12;  14:3 

1  :  14; 

6  :  17 

4  :  14;  3  :  19, 

to  6 

to  20 

20 

4  :  1  to  42 

238 

480 


SYNOPTICAL  HARMONY  AND  INDEX. 


MATTHEW. 

4  :  17 

4  :  13  to  16 
4  :  18  to  22 

8  :  14  to  17 

4  :  23  to  25 

8  :  2  to  4 

9  :  2  to  8 
9  :  9 


MARK. 

1  :  14  to  15 


1  :  16  to  20 
1  :  21  to  28 
1  :  29  to  34 
1  :  35  to  39 

1  :  40  to  45 

2  :  1  to  12 
2  :  13,  14 


LUKE. 

|4  :  14,  15 

|4  :.16  to  31 
i5  :  1  to  11 
(4  :  31  to  37 
14  :  38  to  41 

4  :  42  to  44 

5  ;  12  to  16 
5  :  17  to  26 
5  ;  27,  28 


JOHN. 

4  :  43  to  45 
4  :  46  to  54 


Page 

242 

243 

244 
246 

248 

249 

251 

252 
252 

254 

255 


PERIOD  FOURTH. 


5  :  1  to  47  257 

12  :  1  to  8 

2  :  23  to  28 

6  :  1  to  5 

260 

12  :  9  to  14 

3  :  1  to  6 

6  :  6  to  11 

261 

12  :  15  to  21 

3  :  7  to  12 

262 

10  :  2  to  4 

5  :  1  to  48 ;  6  : 

3  :  13  to  19 

6  ;  12  to  19 

264 

1  to  8  ;  6:15 
to  34 ;  7  :  1  to 
29;  8:1 

6  :  20  to  49 

267 

8  :  5  to  13 

7  :  1  to  10 

271 

7  :  11  to  17 

272 

11  :  2  to  19 

7  :  18  to  35 

273 

7  :  36  to  50 

278 

8  :  1  to  3 

280 

12  :  23  to  37 

3  :  22  to  30 

11  :  14  to  23 

281 

12  :  38  to  45 

11  :  16;  24  to 

36 

283 

12  :  46  to  50 

3  :  31  to  35 

8  :  19  to  21 

285 

11  :  37  to  54 

286 

12  :  1  to  59 

289 

13  :  1  to  9 

294 

3  :  1  to  23 

4  :  1  to  25 

8  :  4  to  18 

295 

13  :  24  to  53 

4  :  26  to  34 

297 

8  :  18  to  27 

4  :  35  to  41 

8  :  22  to  25  ; 

9  :  57  to  62 

299 

8  :  28  to  34  ; 

9  :  1 

5  :  1  to  21 

8  :  26  to  40 

302 

9  :  10  to  17 

2  :  15  to  22 

5  :  29  to  39 

804 

9  :  18  to  26 

5  :  22  to  43 

8  :  41  to  56 

307 

SYNOPTICAL  HARMONY  AND 

INDEX.  '  481 

MATTHEW. 

MAllK. 

LUKE. 

JOHN.  Page 

9  :  27  to  34 

309 

13  :  54  to  58 

6  :  1  to  6 

310 

7:6;  9  :  35  to 

• 

38  ;  10  :  1  to 

15  ;  11  :  1 

6  :  6  to  13 

9  :  1  to  6 

311 

14  :  6  to  11 

6  :  21  to  29 

313 

14  :  1  to  2 

6  :  14  to  16 

9  :  7  to  9 

314 

14  :  12  to  21 

6  :  30  to  44 

9  :  10  to  17 

6  :  1  to  14  315 

6  :  22  to  71  ; 

7:1  321 

15  :  1  to  20 

7  :  1  to  23 

325 

PERIOD  FIFTH. 

15  :  21  to  28 

7  :  24  to  30  • 

328 

15  :  29  to  38 

7  :  31  to  37  ; 

. 

8  :  1  to  9 

329 

15  :  39;  16  :  1 

to  4 

8  :  10  to  12 

331 

16  :  4  to  12 

8  :  13  to  21 

331 

8  :  22  to  26 

332 

16  :  13  to  20 

8  :  27  to  30 

9  :  18  to  21 

333 

16  :  21  to  28 

8  :  31  to  38  ; 

9  :  1 

9  :  22  to  27 

334 

17  :  1  to  13 

9  :  2  to  13 

9  :  28  to  36 

335 

17  :  14  to  21 

9  :  14  to  29 

9  :  37  to  43 

338 

17  :  22,  23 

9  :  30  to  32 

9  :  43  to  45 

339 

17  :  24  to  27 

9  :  33 

340 

18  :  1  to  9 

9  :  33  to  48 

9  :  46  to  50 

341 

18  :  15  to  17 

343 

18  :  21  to  35 

344 

10  :  16  to  42  ; 

11  :  20  to  24 

10  :  1  to  16 

344 

9  :  51  to  56  ; 

18  :  11  to  19 

7  :  2  to  10  348 

41 


482  . 


SYNOPTICAL  HARMONY  AND  INDEX. 


PERIOD  SIXTH. 


MATTHEW. 


MARK. 


6  :  7  to  15  ; 

18  :  19  to  20 


19  :  1,  2 


19  : 

3  to  12 

19  ; 

13 

to 

15 

19  : 

16 

to 

80; 

20 

:  1 

to 

16 

20  : 

17 

to 

19 

20  : 

20 

to 

28 

20  : 

29 

to 

34 

10  :  1 


10  : 

2  to  12 

10  : 

13 

to 

16 

10  : 

17 

to 

31 

10  : 

32 

to 

34 

10: 

35 

to 

45 

10  : 

46 

to 

52 

LUKE. 

JOHN. 

7  :  11  to  53  ; 

Page 

8  :  1 

351 

8  :  2  to  11 

355 

8  :  12  to  59 

356 

10  :  25  to  37 

360 

10  :  38  to  42 

361 

11  : 

1  to  13 

362 

10  : 

17  to  24 

365 

9  :  1 

L  to  14  ; 

10 

:  1  to  21 

366 

10  : 

22  to  42 

370 

11  : 

1  to  46 

372 

11  : 

47  to  54 

376 

13  : 

10  to  21 

378 

13  : 

22  to  33 

379 

14  : 

1  to  24 

^0 

14  : 

25  to  35 

382 

15  : 

1  to  32 

383 

16  : 

1  to  13 

383 

16  : 

14,  15,  19 

to 

31 

384 

18  : 

9  to  14  ; 

18 

:  1  to  8 

385 

386 

18  : 

15  to  17 

387 

18  : 

18  to  30 

388 

18  : 

31  to  34 

390 

391 

18  : 

35  to  43 ; 

19 

:  1 

392 

19  ; 

2  to  27 

393 

19  : 

28 

11  : 

65  to  57 ; 

12 

:  1,9  to  11 

395 

SYJS[OPTICAL  HARMONY  AND  INDEX. 


483 


PERIOD  SEVENTH. 


MATTHEW. 


21  : 

1  to  11  ; 

14 

to  17 

21  : 

12,  13, 18 

19 

21  : 

20  to  22 

21  : 

23  to  32 

21  : 

33  to  46 

22  : 

1  to  14 

22  : 

15  to  22 

22  : 

23  to  33 

22  : 

34  to  40 

22  : 

41  to  46 

23  : 

1  to  12 

23  ; 

13  to  39 

24; 

1,2 

24  : 

3  to  14 

24  : 

15 

to  42 

24  : 

43 

to  51 

25 

:  1 

to  30 

25  : 

31 

to  46 

26  : 

1  to  16 

26  ; 

17 

to  19 

26  : 

20 

26  : 

21 

to  25 

26  : 

31 

to  35 

26  : 

26 

to  29 

26  :  30,  36  to 
46 


MARK. 


11  :  1  to  11 


11  ; 

12 

to  19 

11  : 

20 

to  26 

11  ; 

27 

to  33 

12  ; 

1  to  12 

12  : 

13 

to  17 

12  : 

18 

to  27 

12  : 

28 

to  34 

12  : 

35 

to  37 

12  : 

38, 

39 

12  : 

40 

12  ; 

41 

to  44 

13  : 

1, 

2 

13  : 

3  to  13 

13  : 

14 

to  37 

14  ; 

1  to  11 

14  ; 

12 

to  16 

14  ; 

17 

14  : 

18 

to  21 

14  ; 

27 

to  31 

14  : 

22 

to  25 

LUKE. 

19  ;  29  to  44 

19  :  45  to  48 
21  :  37  to  38 
17  :  5,  6 

20  ;  1  to  8 
20  :  9  to  19 

20  :  20  to  26 
20  :  27  to  40 

20  :  41  to  44 

20  :  45,  46 
20,  47 

21  :  1  to  4 
21  :  5,  6 


21  :  5  to  19 
21  :  20  to  36 


22  :  1  to  6 
22  :  7  to  13 
22  :  14  to  18 ; 

24  to  30 
22  :  21  to  23 
22  :  31  to  38 
22  :  19  to  20 


JOHN. 

12  ;  12  to  19 


12  :  37  to  42 
12  :  20  to  22, 
44  to  50,  23 
to  36 


13  :  1  to  20 
13  :  21  t-o  35 

13  :  36  to  38 
1  Cor.  11  :  23 

to  25 

14  :  1  to  31 

15  :  1  to  27 

16  :  1  to  33 

17  :  1  to  26 

18  :  1 
18  :  2,  3 


14  :  26,  32  to 
42 


22  :  39  to  46 


Page 

398 

401 

403 

403 

404 

405 

406 

407 

409 

410 

410 

411 
411 
413 

413 

414 


414 

417 

418 

420 

422 

423 
425 

427 
429  • 

431 

432 

433 

434 

435 

437 

438 
440 


484 


SYNOPTICAL  HARMONY  AND  INDEX. 


MATTHEW. 


26  : 

47 

to 

56 

26  : 

57 

,  58  69 

to 

75 

26  : 

59 

to 

68 

27  : 

1, 

O 

11  to 

14 

27  : 

15 

to 

26 

27  : 

26 

to 

30 

27  : 

3  to  10 

27  : 

31 

to 

34 

27  : 

35 

to 

38 

27  : 

39 

to 

44 

27  : 

45 

to 

50 

27  : 

51 

to 

56 

27  : 

57 

to 

66 

MARK. 

LUKE. 

JOHN. 

Page 

14  :  43  to  52 

22  ;  47  to  53 

18  :  4  to  12 

441 

14  :  53,  54,  66, 

to  72 

22  :  54  to  62 

18  :  13  to  27 

443 

14  :  55  to  65 

22  :  63  to  71 

445 

15  :  1  to  5 

23  :  1  to  5 

18  :  28  to  38 

446 

23  :  6  to  12 

449 

15  :  6  to  15 

33  :  13  to  25 

18  :  39,  40 

450 

15  :  15  to  19 

19  :  1  to  16 

451 

(Acts  1 : 18,19) 

452 

15  :  20  to  23 

28  ;  26  to  33 

19  :  16,  17 

454 

15  :  24  to  28 

23  :  33,  34,  38 

19  :  18  to  24 

455 

15  :  29  to  32 

23  :  35  to  37, 

39  to  43 

456 

19  :  25  to  27 

457 

15  :  33  to  37 

23  :  44  to  46 

19  :  28  to  30 

457 

15  :  38  to  41 

23  :  45,  47  to 

49 

458 

15  :  42  to  47 

23  :  50  to  56 

19  :  38  to  42 

459 

PERIOD  EIGHTH. 


28  :  1  to  4  116  :  I  to  4 

24  :  1  to  3 

20  :  1,  2 

464 

28  :  5  to  7 

"6  :  5  to  7 

24  ;  4  to  8 

465 

28  :  8  to  10 

16  :  8 

24  :  9  to  11 

466 

24  :  12 

20  :  8  to  10 

466 

16  :  9  to  11 

20  :  11  to  18 

467 

28  :  11  to  15 

469 

(1  Cor.  15  :  5) 

.6  :  14 

24  ;  36  to  49 

20  :  19  to  23 

471 

20  :  24  to  29 

472 

28  :  16 

21  :  1  to  24 

473 

28  :  16  to  20 

(1  Cor.  15  :  6) 

475 

(1  Cor.  15  :  7 ; 

• 

Acts  1  :  3  to 

20  :  30,  31 ; 

12) 

16  :  15  to  22 

24  :  50  to  53 

21  :  25 

476 

WARREN  F 


.  DRAPER, 

PUBIISHEK  AND  BOOKSELLER, 

ANDOVER,  MASS., 

PUBLISHES  AND  OFFERS  FOR  SALE  THE  FOLLOWING,  WHICH  WILL  BE  SENT 
POST  PAID  ON  RECEIPT  OP  THE  SUM  NAMED. 


GUERICKE’S  CHURCH  HISTORY  (Ancient  Church;  including  the 
First  Six  Centuries).  Translated  by  William  G.  T.  Shedd,  Brown  Professor 
in  Andover  Theological  .Seminary.  442  pp.  8vo.  $2.25. 

The  established  credit  of  Guericke’s  laljors  in  the  department  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  and  the 
use  made  of  his  works  by  many  English  writers  will  make  this  volume  acceptable  to  a  very  large 
class  of  students  and  readers. —  London  Joio'nal  of  Sacred  Literature, 

Guericke’s  History  is  characterized  by  research,  devoutness,  firm  grasp  of  evangelical  truth, 
and  careful  exhibition  of  the  practical  as  well  as  the  intellectual  aspects  of  Christianity.  —  Iforth 
British  Review. 

We  regard  Professor  Shedd’s  version  as  a  happy  specimen  of  the  transfusion,  rather  than  a 
translation,  wliich  many  of  the  German  treatises  should  receive.  The  style  of  his  version  is  far 
superior  to  that  of  tlie  original.  —  Bibliotheca  Sacra. 

Among  the  most  faithful,  and  yet  the  most  independent,  of  the  followers  of  Neander,  may  be 
mentioned  Guericke,  who  carries  out  Neander’s  plan  in  a  more  compendious  form,  but  with  an 
almost  bigoted  attachment  to  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Luther,  in  a  style  so  crabbed  and  involved, 
that  we  should  not  Iiavc  hesitated  to  pronounce  it  untranslatable,  but  for  the  fact  that  an  eminent 
teacher  and  accomplished  writer  of  our  own  country  has  achieved  what  we  regarded  as  a  sheer 
impossibility.  We  are  glad  to  have  a  book  made  legible  in  English,  which,  in  spite  of  its  original 
uncouthness,  ha?  been  eminently  useful,  as  a  vehicle,  not  only  of  the  best  historical  knowledge, 
but  of  sincere  piety,  and  sound  religious  sentiment  in  reference  to  all  essentials.  —  iVi’nceton 
Review. 

In  clearness  the  style  of  the  translation  Exceeds  the  original.  The  natural  animation  and  life¬ 
like  character,  which  commonly  vanish  in  the  process  of  translating  from  the  German,  have  been 
retained  with  signal  success.  We  arc  disposed  to  consider  it  the  best  of  the  current  text-books 
for  the  use  for  which  Prof.  Shedd  designs  it.  —  New  Englander. 

Here  is  a  Manual  of  Church  History  which  may  be  confidently  recommended,  without  reserve 
or  qualification,  to  students  belonging  to  all  evangelical  churches.  Guericke  is  thoroughly  Or¬ 
thodox.  His  evangelical  belief  and  feeling  give  him  a  lively  and  appreciative  interest  in  the  in¬ 
ternal  history  of  the  Church  ;  he  devotes  special  attention  to  the  development  of  doctrines,  and 
presents  the  range  of  thought  and  substance  of  opinion  distinguishing  the  works  of  the  princi¬ 
pal  writers  in  successive  ages  of  the  Church.  Guericke’s  manual  is  complete  in  the  particular 
lines  of  lustory  he  has  chosen,  and  is  a  most  useful  and  reliable  book  for  the  theological  class¬ 
room  Profess 'r  Shedd  has  wisely  translated  with  freedom,  and  has  improved  the  structure  of  the 
work.  —  Nonconjorrnist. 

We  are  glad  that  a  Manual  of  Church  History  has  appeared  which  exhibits,  at  once,  undoubted 
ortb.odox\;.  and  that  grasp  of  mind  which  alone  is  callable  of  treating  such  u  subject  with  a  lu¬ 
minous  anu  lively  brevity.  —  Clerical  Journal. 

With  the  arlditions  and  improvements  made  in  the  successiv’c  editions,  it  is  now,  on  the  whole, 
tlie  most  readalde  work  on  Church  History  to  be  found.  We  have  used  the  origir.al  for  some 
years,  and  entirely  agree  with  the  translator,  that  it  hits  the  mean  between  an  offensive  fullness 
«nd  a  barren  epitome.  —  Central  Christian  Herald. 


Publications  of  W.  F,  Draper^  Andover 


DISCOURSES  AND  ESSAYS.  By  William  G.  T.  Shedd.  271  pp. 
12nio.  85  cts. 

The  striking  sincerity,  vigor,  and  learning  of  this  volume  •will  be  admired  even  by  those  read- 
ers  who  cannot  go  with  the  author  in  all  his  opinions.  "Whatever  debate  the  philosophical  ten¬ 
dencies  of  the  book  may  challenge,  its  literary-  ability  and  moral  spirit  \\ill  be  commended  every 
wlicre.  —  yew  Englander. 

Tlicsc  elaborate  articles  are  written  in  a  lucid  and  racy  style,  and  invest  with  a  rare  interest  the 
theims  of  which  they  treat.  —  Bibliotheca  Sacra. 

These  Discourses  are  all  marked  by  profound  thought,  and  perspicuity  of  sentiment.— 
Princeton  Review. 

Tlie  Essay  on  a  Natural  Rhetoric  we  earnestly  commend  to  all  persons  who  publicly  assume 
either  to  speak  or  to  write.  —  Universalist  Quarterly. 

Few  clearer  and  more  penetrating  minds  can  be  found  in  our  country  than  that  of  Prof.  Shedd. 
If  the  mind  gets  dull,  or  dry,  or  ungovernable,  put  it  to  grappling  with  these  masterly  produc¬ 
tions.  —  Congregational  Herald,  Chicago. 

Each  of  these  Discourses  is  profoundly  and  ingeniously  elaborated,  and  the  volume  as  a  whole 
is  a  testimony  to  highly  intellectual  and  consistent  views  of  evangelical  truth.  —  Boston  Recorder. 

LECTURES  UPON  TEffi  PHILOSOPHY  OF  HISTORY.  By 
William  G.  T.  Shedd.  128  pp.  12mo.  60  cts. 

Professor  Shedd  has  already  achieved  a  high  reputation  for  the  union  of  philosophic  insight 
with  genuine  scholarship,  of  depth  and  clearness  of  thought  with  force  and  elegance  of  style, 
pnd  for  profound  views  of  sin  and  grace,  cherished  not  merely  on  theoretical,  but  still  more  on 
moral  and  experimental  grounds.  —  Princeton  Review. 

This  volume  consists  of  four  lectures,  of  which  the  following  are  the  titles:  The  Abstract  Idea 
of  Ilistoiy;  The  Nature  and  Definition  of  Secular  History ;  The  Nature  and  Definition  of  Church 
History;  The  '\’'crifying  Test  in  Church  History.  It  is  written  in  a  lucid  style,  and  will  interest 
the  students  of  theology  and  of  history.  —  Bibliotheca  Sacra. 

T!ic  style  of  these  Lectures  has  striking  merits.  The  author  chooses  his  words  with  rare  skill 
and  taste,  from  an  ample  vocabulary;  and  writes  "with  strength  and  refreshing  simplicity.  The 
Philosoiiliy  of  Realism,  in  application  to  history  and  historical  theology,  is  advocated  by  vigorous 
reasoning,  and  made  intelligible  by  original  and  felicitous  illustrations.  —  New  Englander. 

The  “Lectures  upon  the  Philosophy  of  History,”  is  an  extraordinary  specimen  of  the  meta¬ 
physical  treatise,  and  the  charm  of  its  rhetoric  is  not  less  noticeable.  Prof.  Shedd  never  puts  his 
creed  under  a  bushel,  but  there  are  few  students  of  any  sect  or  class  that  will  not  derive  great  as¬ 
sistance  from  his  labors.  —  Universalist  Quarterly. 

It  bears  the  impress  of  an  elegant  as  well  as  highly  philosophical  mind.  —  Boston  Recorder. 

OUTLINES  OF  A  SYSTEMATIC  RHETORIC.  From  the  German 
of  Dn.  Francis  Theremin,  by  William  G.  T.  Shedd.  Third  and  Revised 
Edition,  with  an  Introductory  Essay  by  the  translator,  pp.  216.  12mo.  75  cts. 

Advanced  students  will  find  it  well  worthy  of  perusal.  The  adoption  of  its  leading  ideas  would 
ennoble  the  a?-#  of  rhetoric  into  a  science,  the  practice  of  speaking  into  a  virtue,  and  would  clothe 
the  V  hole  subject  in  our  schools  and  colleges  with  a  fresh  and  vital  interest.  —  Bibliotheca 
Sacra. 

Ever;,'  minister  and  theological  professor  (in  composition  and  rhetoric  especially)  should  read 
it.  A  more  thorough  and  suggestive,  and,  in  the  main,  se/isftZe  view  of  the  subject  is  hardly  to  be 
found.  The  central  idea  of  Theremin’s  theory  is,  that  Eloquence  is  a  "Virtue,  and  he  who  reads 
this  little  book  will  be  sure  to  receive  an  impulse  in  the  direction  of  masculine  thoughtful  dis¬ 
course.  —  Congregational  Herald. 


Puhlications  of  TK  F.  Draper^  Andover, 


AUBEBLEISr  ON  T>ANIET,  AISTD  THE  REVEIiATIOH.  Trans¬ 
lated  by  Key.  Adolph  Saphir.  490  pp.  §1.50. 

It  is  refreshing  to  one’s  spirit  to  receive  a  book  of  this  kind  from  Germany . The 

Prophecies  of  Daniel  and  of  John  have  long  been  tlie  sport  of  unbelieving  criticism;  and  if 
their  authority,  as  the  products  of  Divine  inspiration,  could  have  been  overthrown  by  learning 
and  ingenuity  and  industrj^  this  would  long  since  have  been  accomplished.  Undismayed  by 
the  long  array  of  learned  names  against  him,  Auberlen.,  comparatively  a  young  writer,  has 
undertaken  the  defence  of  these  books,  and  has  manfully  fulfilled  his  task.”  [See  notice  in 
Bib.  Sacra,  vol.  12,  page  643  sq. 

HEHDERSOH’S  COMMEHTABY  ON  THE  MIHOR  PBO- 
PHETS.  490  pp.  8vo.  §3.00. 

The  only  critical  Commentary  on  the  subject  accessible  to  English  students.  A  work  care¬ 
fully  prepared  by  an  able  scholar 

JAHH’S  BIBLICAL  ABCHJEOLOGY.  Translated,  with  Additions, 
by  Prof.  Thomas  C.  Upham.  573  pp.  8vo.  §1.75. 

This  is  a  standard  work  in  its  department.  It  is  a  very  excellent  book  for  Sabbath  school 
teachers  and  advanced  classes.  There  are  probably  none  superior  within  the  same  compass. 

SCHAITEFLER’S  MEDITATIONS  ON  THE  LAST  DAYS  OF 

CHRIST.  439  pp.  12mo.  §100. 

The  first  sixteen  chapters  of  the  book  consist  of  Meditations  on  the  last  days  of  Christ, 
preached  in  the  midst  of  plague  and  death,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Schaufller,  at  Constantinople;  the  second 
part,  of  eight  sermons  on  the  17th  chapter  of  John,  and  is  a  practical  exijosition  of  that  chapter. 

VENEMA’S  INSTITUTES  OP  THEOLOGY.  Translated  by  Rev. 
A.  W.  llROWN,  Edinburgh.  532  pp.  8yo.  Fine  edition.  §1.50. 

**  It  must  be  admitted,  that  Venema  had  far  more  independence,  both  of  thought  and  style 
than  belonged  to  many  of  his  contemporaries.  The  perusal  of  Venema’s  treatise  cannot  fail, 
we  think,  to  awaken  a  spirit  of  Biblical  investigation,  and  to  illustrate  the  importance  of  an  ac¬ 
curate  and  well-balanced  theological  system.” —  [Bib.  Sac.,  January,  1854. 

BUSSELL’S  PULPIT  ELOCUTION.  Comprising  Remarks  on  the 
Effect  of  Manner  in  Public  Discourse;  the  Elements  of  Elocution  applied  to 
the  Reading  of  the  Scriptures,  Hymns  and  Sermons;  with  observations  on  the 
Principles  of  Gesture  ;  and  a  Selection  of  Exercises  in  Reading  and  Speaking. 
With  an  Introduction  by  Prof.  E.  A.  Park  and  Rev.  E.  N.  Kirk.  413  pp.' 
12mo.  Second  edition.  §1.00. 

“  Mr.  Russel  is  known  as  one  of  the  masters  of  elocutionary  science  in  the  United  States.  He 
has  labored  long,  skilfully,  and  successfully  in  that  most  interesting  field,  and  has  acquired  an 
honored  name  among  the  teachers  and  writers  upon  rherotic.  It  is  one  of  the  most  thorough 
publications  upon  the  subject,  and  is  admirably  addressed  to  the  correction  of  the  various  de¬ 
fects  which  diminish  the  influence  of  pulpit  discourses.  It  is  already  an  established  authority 
in  many  places.”—  [Literary  World. 

ADDRESSES  OP  REV.  DBS.  STUBTEVANT  AND  STEARNS 

at  the  Anniversary  of  the  American  Congregational  Union,  May  1855.  25  cts. 

NEMESIS  SACRA.  A  series  of  Inquiries,  Philosophical  and  Critical,  into 
the  Scripture  Doctrine  of  Retribution  on  Earth.  550  pp.  §2  75. 

The  design  of  this  work  is  to  show  that  God  not  only  chastises  his  friends  in  love,  but  also 
punishes  them  in  anger,  while  on  earth.  This  is  attempted  to  be  shown  partly  from  reason,  but 
chiefly  from  revelation.  The  argument  from  revelation  consists  in  detailing  the  history  of  Adam, 
Abraham,  Lot,  Jacob  and  liis  sons,  IMoscs,  the  Judges,  Eli,  David,  Solomon,  and  others,  and 
tracing  the  connection  between  their  sulferings  and  their  sins. —  Bib.  Sacra,  1859. 


b 


Publications  ofW.F.  Draper^  Andover, 


TEffiOLiOGIA  GERM  AJN'IC A.  Which  setteth  forth  many  fair  lineaments 
of  Divine  Truth,  and  saith  very  lofty  and  lovely  things  touching  a  Perfect  Life. 
Edited  by  Dr.  Pfeiffer,  from  the  only  complete  manuscript  yet  known. 
Translated  from  the  German  by  Sfsa]S’NA  Wixkworth.  With  a  Preface  by 
the  Eev.  Charles  Kingsley,  Rector  of  Eversley ;  and  a  Letter  to  the  Trans¬ 
lator,  by  the  Chevalier  Bunsen,  D.  D  ,  D.  C.  L.,  etc.;  and  an  Introduction 
by  Prof.  Calvin  E.  Stowe,  D.  D.  275  pp.  16mo.  Cloth,  Sl.OO :  calf,  S2  00. 

This  treatise  was  discovered  by  Luther,  who  first  brought  it  into  notice  by  an  edition  which 
he  published  in  1,316,  of  which  he  says  :  “  And  I  will  say,  though  it  be  boasting  of  myself,  and 
‘I  speak  as  a  fool,’  that,  next  to  the  Bible  and  St.  Augustine,  no  book  hath  ever  come  into  my 
hands  whence  I  have  learnt,  or  would  wish  to  learn,  more  of  what  God  and  Christ,  and  man, 
and  all  things,  are.” 

”  The  times  and  the  circumstances  in  which  this  most  rich,  thoughtful,  and  spiritually 
quickening  little  treatise  was  produced,  —  the  national  and  ecclesiastical  tendencies  and  influ¬ 
ences  which  invested  its  author,  and  which  gave  tone,  direction,  and  pressure  to  his  thoughts, 
—  are  amply  and  well  set  forth  in  the  preface  by  Miss  Winkworth,  and  the  letter  of  Bunsen. 
The  treatise  itself  is  richly  deserving  of  the  eulogies  upon  it  so  emphatically  and  aflfectionately 
uttered  by  Prof.  Stowe  and  Mr.  Kingsley,  and,  long  before  them,  by  Luther,  who  said  that  it 
had  profited  him  ‘  more  than  any  other  book,  save  only  the  Bible  and  the  works  of  Augustine.’ 
Sin,  as  a  universal  disease  and  defilement  of  the  nature  of  man  ;  Christ,  as  an  indwelling  life, 
light,  and  heavenly  power  ;  Holiness,  as  the  utmost  good  for  the  soul ;  and  Heaven,  as  the 
state  or  place  of  the  consummation  of  this  holiness,  with  the  consequent  vision  of  God,  and 
the  ineffable  joy  and  peace, —  these  are  the  theme  of  the  book.  And  it  has  the  grand,  and  in 
this  day  the  so  rare  and  almost  singular  merit,  of  having  been  prompted  by  a  real  and  deep  relig¬ 
ious  experience,  and  of  having  been  written,  not  with  outward  assistance,  but  with  the  enthu- 
aiasm,  the  spiritual  wisdom,  and  the  immense  inward  freedom  and  energy,  of  a  soul  itself  con¬ 
scious  of  union  with  Christ,  and  exulting  in  the  sense  of  being  made,  through  him,  ‘  a  partaker 
of  the  Divine  nature.’ 

“  Those  who  have  known  the  most  of  Christ  will  value  most  this  “  golden  treatise.”  Those 
whose  experience  of  the  divine  truth  has  been  deepest  and  most  central  will  find  the  most  in 
it  to  instruct  and  to  quicken  them.  To  such  it  will  be  an  invaluable  volume  worth  thousands 
upon  thousands  of  modern  scientific  or  hortatory  essays  upon  ”  Religion  made  easy.” 

“  It  is  printed  by  Mr.  Draper,  at  the  Andover  press,  in  the  old  English  style,  with  beautiful 
carefulness  and  skill,  and  is  sent,  post  paid,  to  all  who  remit  to  him  one  dollar.”  —  [Independent. 

The  work  is  at  once  a  literary  curiosity  and  a  theological  gem.—  [Puritan  Recorder. 

This  little  volume  which  is  brought  out  in  antique  type,  is,  apart  from  its  intrinsic  value,  a 
curiosity  of  literature.  It  may  be  regarded  as  the  harbinger  of  the  Protestant  Retbrmation.  — 
[Evening  Traveller. 

WRITESTGS  OF  PROFESSOR  B.  B.  EDWARDS.  With  a  Memoir 
by  Professor  Edwards  A.  Park.  2  vols.  12mo.  S2.00. 

These  works  consist  of  seven  Sermons,  sixteen  Essays,  Addresses  and  Lectures,  and  a  Me¬ 
moir  by  Professor  Park. 

ERSEMEP3  ON  THE  INTERNAL  EVIDENCE  FOR  THE 
TRUTH  OF  REVEALED  RELIGION.  Third  American,  from  the  Fifth 
Edinburgh  Edition.  139  pp.  16mo.  50  cents. 

“  The  entire  treatise  cannot  fail  to  commend  the  positions  which  it  advocates  to  intelligent 
and  considerate  minds.  It  is  one  of  the  best,  perhaps  the  best,  of  all  the  discussions  of  this 
momentous  subject.”  —  [Congregationalist. 

“  This  argument  of  Erskine  for  the  Internal  Evidence  of  the  Truth  of  Revealed  Religion,  is 
the  most  compact,  natural  and  convincing  we  have  ever  read  from  any  author.”  —  [Chris.  Chron. 

‘‘No  man  ought  to  consider  himself  as  having  studied  theology,  unless  he  has  read,  and  pon¬ 
dered,  and  read  again,  ‘  Erskine  on  the  Internal  Evideace.’  ”  —  [The  Independent. 

THE  ANGEL  OVER  THE  RIGHT  SHOULDER.  By  the  author 
of  “  Sunny  Side.”  29  pp  arfmo.  20  cents. 


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BIBIjE  HZSTOE.Y'  op  prayer.  By  C.  A.  Goodrich.  384  pp. 
12mo.  Sl-00. 

Tlie  aim  of  this  little  volume  is  to  embody  an  account  of  the  delightful  and  successful  inter¬ 
course  of  believers  with  heaven  for  some  four  thousand  years.  The  author  has  indulged  a 
good  deal  in  narrative,  opening  and  explaining  the  circumstances  which  gave  birth  to  the 
several  prayers. 

HISTORICAL  DEVELOPMENT  OP  SPECULATIVE  PHI¬ 
LOSOPHY  FROM  KANT  TO  HEGEL.  From  the  German  of  Dr.  H.  M. 
Chalybaeus.  With  an  Introductory  F[ote  by  Sir  William  Hamilton. 

1  vol.  12mo.  $1.25. 

* 

Those  who  are  in  search  of  knowledge  on  this  perplexed  subject,  without  having  time  to  in¬ 
vestigate  the  original  sources  for  information,  will  receive  groat  assistance  from  this  careful,  thor¬ 
ough  and  perspicuous  analysis.  —  [Biblical  Repertory  and  Princeton  Review,  April,  1854. 

See  also  notice  of  this  work  on  page  635  of  Bib.  Sac.,  July,  1854. 

VINET’S  HISTORY  OP  FRENCH  LITERATURE  IN  TBCB 
EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY.  523  pp.  $1.75. 

WORKS  OP  LEONARD  WOODS,  D.  D.  6  vols.  8vo.  $10.00. 

Vols.  I.,n.  and  III.,  Lectures.  —  Vol.  IV.,  Letters  and  Essays.—  Vol.  V.  —  Essays  and  Ser¬ 
mons.  A  new  edition,  on  superior  paper. 

COMMENTARY  ON  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  ROMANS.  By 
Prop.  M.  Stuart.  Third  edition.  Revised  by  Prof.  R.  D.  C.  Robbins.  1  vol. 
12mo.  pp.  544.  $150. 

We  heartily  commend  this  work  to  all  students  of  the  Bible.  The  production  of  one  of  the 
first  Biblical  scholars  of  our  age,  on  the  most  important  of  all  the  doctrinal  books  of  the  New  Tes¬ 
tament,  it  deserves  the  careful  study,  not  only  of  those  wlio  agree  with  Prof.  Stuart  in  his  Theo¬ 
logical  and  Exegetical  principles,  but  of  those  who  earnestly  dissent  from  some  of  his  views  in 
both  respects.  —  Watchman  and  Reflector. 

COMMENTARY  ON  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS.  By 
Prop.  M.  Stuart.  Third  edition.  1  vol.  12ino.  $1.75. 

STUART’S  MISCELLANIES,  pp.  369.  12mo  75  cents. 

Contents. —  I.  Letters  to  Dr.  Channing  on  the  Trinity. —  II.  Two  Sermons  on  the  Atone¬ 
ment— III.  Sacramental  Sermon  on  the  Lamb  of  God.— IV.  Dedication  Sermon — Real 
Cliristianity.  —  V.  Letter  to  Dr.  Channing  on  Religious  Liberty. —  VI.  Supplementary  Notes 
and  Postscripts. 

STUART’S  GREEK  GRAMMAR  OP  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 
DIALECT.  Second  edition.  8vo.  $1.37. 

This  is  the  cheapest  work  on  this  subject  published  in  this  country. 

STUART’S  HINTS  ON  THE  INTERPRETATION  OP  PROPH¬ 
ECY.  pp.  146.  12mo.  33  cents. 

CODEX  VATICANUS  H  KAINH  AIA0HKH.  Novum  Testamei.lum 
Graece,  ex  antiquissimo  Codice  Vaticano  edidit  Angelus  Maius,  S.  R.  E  (':iid. 
8vo.  $2.50. 

Professor  Tischendorf  and  Dr.  Tregelles  ascribe  its  date  as  early  as  to  the  middle  of  the  fourth 
century.  It  has  generally  been  held  to  be  the  most  venerable  manuscript  of  the  New  Testa¬ 
ment.  It  has  been  guarded  with  great  vigilance  by  the  authorities  of  the  Vatican.  A  thorough 
collation,  even,  has  never  before  been  permitted,  though  often  sought.  The  present  work  is  an 
exact  reprint.  {> 


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WORKS  OP  JESSE  APPLETOK,  D.  D.,  with  a  Memoir  of  bis  Life 
and  Character.  2  vols.  Sv^o.  S3.00. 

They  will  ever  form  standard  volumes  in  American  Theological  Literature.  —  Bib,  Repository 
1&37,  p.  249. 

AUGUSTHsTISM  AKD  PELAGIAKISM.  By  G.  F.  Wiggers,  D  D. 
Translated  from  the  German,  by  Prop.  R.  Emerson,  D.  D.  pp.  383.  8vo.  $1.00. 

CUDWORTH’S  TRUE  INTELIiECTUAL  SYSTEM  OP  THE 
UNIVERSE:  Wherein  all  the  Reason  and  Philosophy  of  Atheism  is  Confuted, 
and  its  Impossibility  Demonstrated.  Also,  a  Treatise  on  Immutable  Morality; 
with  a  discourse  on  the  True  Notion  of  the  Lord’s  Supper;  and  two  Sermons 
on  1  John  2 : 3,  4,  and  1  Cor.  15: 57;  with  an  account  of  the  Life  and  Writings 
of  the  Author.  2  vols.  8vo.  pp.  804,  756.  $4.00. 

DR.  DODDRIDGE’S  LECTURES  OK  PREACHIISTG.  15  cents. 

SELECTIONS  PROM  GERMAN  LITERATURE.  By  B.  B.  Ed¬ 
wards  and  E.  A.  Park.  pp.  472.  8vo.  $2.00. 

Contents.  — I.  Introduction  by  the  Translators.  — 11.  The  Life,  Character,  and  Style  of  the 
Apostle  Paul,  by  Prof.  Tholuck.  —  III.  The  Tragical  Quality  in  the  Friendship  of  David  and 
Jonathan,  by  Prof.  Frederic  Koster.  —  IV.  The  Gifts  of  Prophecy  and  of  Speaking  with 
Tongues  in  the  Primitive  Church,  by  Dr.  L.  J.  Ruckert.  —  V.  Sermons  by  Prof.  Tholuck.  1. 
The  Relation  of  Christians  to  the  Law;  2.  Gentleness  of  Christ;  3.  Fruitless  Resolutions; 
4.  Earnest  of  Eternal  Life;  5.  The  Penitent  Thief;  6.  The  Presence  of  God  with  His  Chil¬ 
dren. —  VI.  Sketch  of  Tholuck’s  Life  and  Character,  by  Prof.  Park.  —  VII.  The  Doctrine  of 
the  Resurrection  of  the  Dead,  by  Dr.  L.  J.  Ruckert.  —  VIII.  The  Resurrection  of  the  Body,  by 
J.  P.  Lange.  —  IX.  The  Life  of  Plato,  by  W.  G.  Tennemann.  —  X.  Sketch  of  the  Biographers 
of  Plato,  and  of  the  Commentators  upon  his  Writings,  by  Prof.  Edwards.  —  XI.  The  Sinless 
Character  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  Dr.  C.  Ullmann. 

GURNEY  ON  THE  SABBATH.  With  Introduction  by  Prof.  Stuart. 
12  cents. 

WRITINGS  OP  W.  B.  HOMER.  With  a  Memoir  by  Prof.  Park. 
12mo.  80  cents. 

PLUTARCHUS  DE  SERA  NUMINIS  VINDICTA.  Plutarch  on  the 
Delay  of  the  Deity  in  the  Punishment  of  the  Wicked.  With  Notes  by  H.  B. 
Hackett,  Professor  of  Biblical  Literature  in  Newton  Theological  Institution, 
pp.  172.  12mo.  60  cents. 

[See  a  review  of  this  work  in  Bib.  Sacra,  p.  609, 1856.] 

PUNCHARD’S  VIEW  OP  CONGREGATIONALISM,  its  Principles 
and  Doctrines,  the  Testimony  of  Ecclesiastical  History  in  its  favor,  its  Prac¬ 
tice  and  its  advantages.  With  an  Introductory  Essay  by  R.  S.  Storrs,  D.  D. 
Second  edition.  16mo.  pp.  331.  50  cents. 

TYNDALE’S  NEW  TESTAMENT.  The  original  edition,  1526,  being 
the  first  vernacular  translation  from  the  Greek.  With  a  Memoir  of  his  Life 
and  Writings.  With  Variations  and  Marginal  Readings.  12mo.  $1.00. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  books  —  we  say  it  without  misgiving  —  ever  issued  from  the 
American  press.  —  Bib.  Repository  1837,  p.  495. 

WINER’S  CHALDEE  GRAMMAR.  Translated  by  Prof.  H.  B.  Hack- 
KTT.  8  VO.  $150. 

WOODS  ON  INPANT  BAPTISM.  Second  edition,  pp.  222.  25  cent«. 


Publications  ofW,F.  Draper^  Andover. 


BIBLIOTHECA  SACRA  ANI>  BIBLICAL  REPOSITORY. 
E.  A.  Park  and  S.  H.  Taylor,  Editors.  Published  at  Andover  on  the  first 
of  January,  April,  July  and  October. 

Each  number  contains  about  225  pages,  making  a  volume  of  900  pages  yearly.  This  work  is 
larger,  by  more  than  100  pages  per  volume  than  any  other  religious  quarterly  in  the  country. 

This  Review  is  edited  by  Prof.  E.  A.  Park,  of  the  Theological  Seminary,  and  S.  H.  Taylor, 
LL.  D.,  of  Phillips  Academy,  Andover.  Among  its  regular  contributors,  are  eminent  scholars 
connected  with  various  theological  and  collegiate  institutions  of  the  United  States.  Its  pages 
will  be  enriched  by  such  contributions  from  Foreign  Missionaries  in  the  East  as  may  illustrate 
the  Diblical  Record  ;’and  also  by  such  essays  from  distinguished  naturalists  as  may  elucidate 
the  agreement  between  Science  and  Religion.  It  is  the  organ  of  no  clique  or  party,  but  aims 
to  exhibit  the  broad  scriptural  views  of  truth,  and  to  cherish  a  catholic  spirit  among  the  con¬ 
flicting  schools  of  evangelical  divines. 

“  Questions  of  philosophy  and  the  analysis  of  language,  of  Biblical  and  literary  criticism,  of 
the  constitution  and  life  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  of  practical  morality  and  evangelical  religion, 
of  biblical  geography  and  the  interpretation  of  prophecy,  and  the  relation  of  Science  to  Religion, 
together  with  ample  literary  intelligence,  both  foreign  and  domestic,”  —  these  make  up  the 
matter  of  each  number,  and  cannot  fail  to  interest  Christian  Scholars,  Clergymen  and  Laj'^men. 

X  e  1*  m  —  $4.00  per  annum.  A  discount  of  25  per  cent,  will  be  made  to  those  who  pay 
STRICTLY  IN  ADVANCE,  and  receive  the  numbers  directly  from  the  office  of  publication,  post¬ 
age  UNPAID.  When  supplied  by  agents,  $3,50,  in  advance  ;  otherwise  $4.00. 

JE*ostage.  —  The  postage  is  five  cents  per  number,  or  twenty  cents  per  year,  to  any  part 
of  the  United  States. 

TESTIMONY  OP  THE  PRESS. 

* 

The  articles,  treating  of  interesting  themes  useful  to  the  general  scholar  as  well  as  the  theolo¬ 
gian,  fully  sustain  the  very  high  character  of  this  quarterly,  which,  restricted  to  no  sect,  and 
broad  in  its  range  of  thought  and  instruction,  has  commended  itself  to  the  best  minds  in  our 
own  and  foreign  lands.  [Boston  Courier. 

This,  as  is  well  known,  is  the  great  religious  Quarterly  of  New  England,  if  not  of  the  coun¬ 
try,  and  IS  held  in  high  estimation  in  England  and  Germany  as  the  principal  organ  of  biblical 
and  philological  criticism  in  the  English  language. 

This  work  as  now  conducted,  deserves  a  large  and  generous  patronage  from  clergymen  of  all 
denominations.  [Puritan  Recorder. 

No  Parish  is  either  poor  or  rich  enough  to  be  able  to  do  without  its  benefit  to  its  pastor. 
[Cougregationalist. 

IHDEX  TO  THE  BIBLIOTHECA  SACRA  AHD  BIBLICAL 
EEPOSITORY,  Volumes  1  to  13  (from  1844  to  1856.)  Containing  an  Index 
of  Subjects  and  Authors,  a  Topical  Index,  and  a  list  of  Scripture  Texts.  Pa¬ 
per  covers,  $1.75;  cloth,  $2.00;  half  goat,  $2.50, 

BIBLICAL  REPOSITORY,  First  Series,  comprising  the  twelve  volumes 
from  the  commencement  of  the  work  to  1838.  The  first  four  volumes  contain 
each  four  numbers  ;  the  succeeding  eight  volumes,  two  numbers  each.  A  few 
sets  only  remain. 

The  Biblical  Repository  was  commenced  at  Andover,  in  1831.  The  present  series  of  the  Bib- 
hi’thcca  Sacra  was  commenced  in  1844.  The  two  periodicals  were  united  in  1851.  The  volume 
ol  the  combined  periodicals  for  the  present  year  (1858)  is  the  forty-sixth  of  the  Biblical  Repos¬ 
itory  and  the  fifteenth  of  the  Bibliotheca  Sacra. 


VIEW  OP  AHDOVER,  A  finely  executed  Lithographic  View  of  An¬ 
dover,  on  a  sheet  18  by  24  inches,  exclusive  of  the  margin. 

The  sheet  contains  a  view  of  the  Town  from  the  west,  and  an  enlarged  delineation  of  the 
I.iterary  Institutions  m  the  border.  It  v/ill  be  sent  by  mail,  post  paid,  on  receipt  of  $1,25. 


Publications  of  W.  F,  Draper^  Ando'oer. 


DODERLEIW’S  HAND-BOOK:  OP  LATIN  SYNONYMES.  Trans¬ 
lated  by  Rev.  H.  H.  AR^'OLD,  B.  A.,  with  an  Introduction  by  S.  H.  Taylor, 
LL.  D.  16mo.  pp.  251.  75  cents. 

The  little  volume  mentioned  above,  introduced  to  the  American  public  by  an  eminent  Scholar 
and  Teacher,  Samuel  H.  Taylor,  LI#.  D.,  is  one  of  the  best  helps  to  the  thorough  appreciation  of 
the  nice  shades  of  meaning  in  Latin  words,  that  have  met  my  eye.  It  deserves  the  attention  of 
teachers  and  learners,  and  will  amply  reward  patient  study.  —  E.  D.  Sanborn,  late  Professor  of 
Latin  in  Dartmouth  College. 

'  The  present  hand-book  of  Doderlein  is  remarkable  for  the  brevity,  distinctness,  perspicuity, 
and  appositeness  of  its  definitions.  It  will  richly  reward  not  merely  the  classical,  but  the  gen¬ 
eral  student,  for  the  labor  he  may  devote  to  it.  It  is  difficult  to  open  the  volume,  even  at  random, 
without  discovering  some  hint  which  may  be  useful  to  a  theologian.  *  *  *  *  From  the  pre¬ 
ceding  extracts,  it  will  be  seen  that  this  hand-book  is  useful  in  elucidating  many  Greek,  as  well 
as  Latin  synonymes.  •—  Bib.  Sacra,  1850. 

POLITICAL  ECONOMY:  Designed  as  a  Text-Book  for  Colleges.  By 
John  Bascom,  A.  M.,  Professor  in  Williams  College.  12mo.  pp.  368.  $1.00. 

THE  BOOK  OP  THE  TWELVE  MINOR  PROPHETS,  Translated 
from  the  Original  Hebrew.  With  a  Commentary,  Critical,  Philological,  and 
Exegetical.  By  E.  Henderson,  D.  D.  With  a  Biographical  Sketch  of  the 
Author,  by  E.  P.  Barrows,  Hitchcock  Professor  in  Andover  Theological  Semi¬ 
nary.  8vo.  pp.  490.  $3.00. 


IN  PRESS. 


STUART’S  COMlttEITTABT  ON  HEBREWS.  Edited  by  Prof.  E.  D. 

C.  Robbins.  Timo. 

STUART’S  COMMENTARY  ON  ECCLESIASTES.  Edited  by  Prof. 
R.  D.  C.  Robbins. 


MONOD’S  SERMONS  ON  THE  LIPE  OP  SAINT  PAUL.  Trans¬ 
lated  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Myers.  12rao. 

AUGUSTINE’S  CONFESSIONS.  Edited  by  Prof.  W.  G.  T.  Shedd. 
12mo. 


ELLICOTT’S  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  EPISTLES. 


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ains  117  double  maps,  133  inset 


nyms  and  Prepositions. 

ory  of  the  World,  embrac 
oth,  $10.00;  mor.,  $12 


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